Legacy of the Ancients
by Count Valerian
Summary: The butterfly flaps its wings, and the world trembles as the flow of time is changed. One girl's teachings changes the fate of another, and an ancient one descends to change the course of history.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 1

Zouken Matou dragged Sakura behind him down the stairs leading down towards the basement of Matou Manor, the little girl struggling to keep up and cringing at the old man's grip on her arm. His grip wasn't particularly tight per se, but his hand was cold and clammy, almost as though there was no life blood in him at all. Worse yet were his eyes, black and inhuman, leering at her from the moment she had arrived with a sinister light.

The basement of the Matou Manor was simply put, forbidding. The walls, floor and ceiling were all made from unfinished stone, coated in dirt and grime as though steeped in the evil of the master of this place. The walls all had niches in them, large enough to hold a man, and Sakura shivered as much from the shrouding shadows as well as the sinister crawling motions hidden by those same shadows.

Zouken didn't notice her shivering, or probably didn't care as he dragged her across the room towards a pit in the middle of the floor. A pit that Sakura realized to her horror was filled with countless worms and insects, prompting her to struggle hard in an attempt to escape. Zouken tightened his grip, growling in annoyance as Sakura fought against her fate. Realizing that escape was otherwise impossible, the girl opened her circuits in desperation, causing Zouken to let go and take a half-step back in surprise.

In most iterations of the timeline, Sakura had never learned any form of magecraft prior to this point. In this iteration however, before she had left, her sister had taught her a small amount, opening her circuits and teaching her how to use projection. Opening her circuits for the first time had been excruciatingly painful, although successive activations were much less so. Projection, while a generally useless spell, had been taught by Rin as an exercise in controlling and fine-tuning one's own prana.

Zouken had clearly not expected the girl to know how to use magecraft, and had instinctively recoiled the moment he had felt prana flare through the girl's circuits. A moment later, reason reasserted itself, and he quickly surmised that while the girl might know a few basic spells, none of them should pose a threat to him. Smirking smugly, he stepped and stooped forward, arm extended to grab the girl where she had fallen on the ground and was now fumbling desperately in a pocket.

Sakura had no elemental affinities, and as such would not normally be capable of using elemental magecraft. But while she couldn't directly use it, she could use it indirectly through the use of mystic codes. And once again Zouken was caught by surprise when Sakura pulled out a gem her sister had given her (just in case Rin had said) and flung it at Zouken with a shouted "…release!"

The gem exploded with enough force to pulverize Zouken's current body, and Sakura immediately got up and ran towards the stairs. She had almost reached them when to her horror swarms of insects flew towards the stairs and melted together into a parody of a Human body: Zouken Matou. "Well, that was certainly surprising…" the old man conceded. "…and undoubtedly rude too; we'll have to break you out of that habit."

Sakura staggered back, face contorted in terror, when she slipped and fell hard on her back, cutting her hand on the rough floor in the process. As she cradled her bleeding hand, she looked up the stairs and watched with tearful eyes as the magus slowly descended down the stairs. "It's pointless child…" Zouken gloated. "…no one's going to save you. You might as well just give up and jump in the pit by yourself."

Neither of the two noticed the blood dripping onto the floor, as Sakura silently and frantically begged for someone to save her. And in the darkness, something answered. It had waited for over fifty years, and while it could not be truly released unless the container was filled and then opened, it could indirectly influence the external world. The child's silent pleas reached its ears, and it noted the desperate desire in the child's voice. This could work.

"…_do you wish to be saved, or do you not wish to be saved?_" a voice asked Sakura in the depths of her mind, time slowing to a crawl like warm honey.

"_...what?_"

"…_do you wish to be saved, or do you not wish to be saved?_"

"_...who are you?_"

"…_do you wish to be saved, or do you not wish to be saved?_"

"_...anyone…anything…just get me away from here!_"

"…_then accept the contract…_"

"…_contract?_"

"_...you shall be the good of all creation…_"

"…_I am the good of all creation…_"

"_...you shall be the evil of all creation…_"

"_...I shall be the evil of all creation…_"

"_...by the power of the Holy Grail, may your wish…be granted…_"

After centuries of life and evil, few things could now surprise Zouken Matou. One of those was the appearance of a brilliantly glowing summoning circle around the girl, who grimaced as an unseen force carved command spells onto her hand. Desperately, Zouken sent swarms of insects to suck out her prana before she could summon her Servant…too late. With a burst of light and wind, the latter of which shredded all the incoming insects, a feminine figure cloaked and hooded in black materialized before Sakura.

Sakura looked up at the woman's shadowed face with a mixed expression of surprise and apprehension on her face, desperate to find reassurance at the woman's surprised smile. "Well now…" she said with an amused tone. "…to be summoned by a child of all people"

Kneeling down to where the girl was lying on the ground, the Servant removed her hood and causing Sakura's eyes to widen in shock and awe at her beautiful face and elfin ears. "I am the Princess of Colchis Medea and the Servant Caster…" she introduced herself. "…what's your name little one?"

"…Sakura…"

Caster smiled wider and patted her reassuringly on the head. And then she swept her eyes across the dank chamber, her expression growing grim and displeased before she stood and looked judgingly upon the magus blocking the stairs with his foul presence.

"…impossible…impossible…" Zouken babbled out in shock; Sakura had not only summoned a Servant, but an utterly first class one at that, and without a catalyst or a prepared summoning circle to boot.

"You rotting corpse…" Caster hissed, drawing a dagger with a jagged and iridescent blade. "…I don't know what you were trying to do with my Master, but don't think you'll get away with it." And before Zouken could respond, Caster dropped back to her knees while stabbing her Noble Phantasm into the ground. "Rule Breaker…!" she shouted, the Noble Phantasm shattering all the bounded fields within the Matou Estate in an instant. Immediately afterwards, a gloved hand tucked Rule Breaker back into her robes while the other was raised palm facing a shocked Zouken. Prana released from the destruction of the Matou bounded fields gathered in her palm to form a glowing sphere of magical power.

Roaring in fear and fury, Zouken attempted to counter-absorb the dissipated prana, forgetting in his rage that Caster – Medea herself – far outclassed him as a magus. "…fool!" Caster sneered, firing her bolt and obliterated not just Zouken and the stairs, but also the entire front third of the Matou Manor. The explosion also collapsed part of the ceiling, forcing a terrified and screaming Sakura to take shelter in Caster's shadow. As debris fell around them, Caster theatrically swept out an arm and pulled Sakura in close. And with a swirl of collapsing space, she and her Master vanished from that place. As Zouken Matou reformed, seething with anger, it laughed in the darkness.

* * *

><p>A few days later would see Caster disguised as an ordinary woman and walking towards Kotomine Church accompanied by an illusionary woman masquerading as her Master. It would not do to parade her child of a Master around, as she might then be made a target of other Masters already present in the city, to say nothing of that pestilent dog she'd apparently been whored out to.<p>

The past few days had been busy though. Sakura had fainted from the shock of providing Caster with prana during her escape, and Caster had expended even more of her reserves searching for a possible hideout. She'd eventually chosen Ryuudo Temple as her territory, both for its ley-lines and natural potential as a magic fortress. Convincing the monks to let them stay was no hard task – even without using mental interference – and from then on she had breathing space.

Naturally enough while Sakura had enough prana to keep her in the world so long as she was well-rested and didn't strain herself, Caster needed more if she had to function in the world. The past three nights were all spent performing blood sacrifices at certain areas of the city to gain control of the ley-lines and while it would be some time before her prana reserves were at optimum levels the situation was stable enough for her to turn her attentions to the war.

"Welcome to Kotomine Church." Risei Kotomine said as the Servant and her 'Master' entered his church, and narrowed his eyes at both of them. One of them was clearly a Servant, and the probable Master felt strange. The priest dismissed the latter though; some magi were borderline Human, and only a step away from being sealed by their fellows or executed by the Church. "I assume you've come to register for the Fourth Holy Grail War?"

"You assume correctly." Caster said through her illusion. "My Servant – Caster – and I wish to register our entry into the contest."

"Rather early, wouldn't you say?"

"No, I would think not." Caster said in person while narrowing her eyes. "It would seem that I am the first Servant to be summoned and well ahead of the appointed time, however I would think that my Master should be commended for her prompt response to be granted the honour of command spells. After all, it allows her some freedom of movement and choice to strengthen her position prior to the war's beginning."

"A fair point..." Risei conceded with a nod.

"At any rate…" Caster continued this time through her illusion once more. "…if there is nothing more to discuss then we shall take our leave."

"…but of course…" Risei responded with a polite bow. "…I recognize your entry into the Fourth Holy Grail War, and wish you peace until such time as the contest opens in full." Caster and her 'Master' bowed in return and promptly left the church. Once the doors were closed behind them, the aging priest discreetly walked over to the front windows and quietly watched as the pair left.

"The so-called Master was an illusion." Kirei observed as he left the shadows. "Caster's Master or both of them are being cautious."

"The Caster-class has always been troublesome." Risei said darkly. "It was a mistake to include such a class of Servants. There is also the possibility that Caster may already have subverted her Master. That woman is dangerous; just by looking at her I can tell that she's a prime example of why the Caster-class is a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"However…" Kirei observed with his usual expressionless face. "…is there anything we can do?"

Risei just sighed and turned to face his son. "Contact Tokiomi and inform him that we need to discuss some matters in person. For a Servant to be summoned this early and a Caster-class to top it all off…this could seriously mess up our plans." Kirei nodded before stalking off to fulfil his father's orders, while Risei walked back towards his private sanctum all the while wondering what the Servant of the Spell's next move was.

The answer to that was simple. Once she'd left the church's bounded fields, Caster had dispensed with her illusion and promptly teleported back to Ryuudo Temple. She'd exposed herself to the Overseer – if he hadn't already detected her summoning – and as such it was time to beef up the defences of her mountain sanctuary. The mountain was already covered with a bounded field that weakened spiritual beings which approached the holy precincts by any course other than the temple stairs and gate. Enclosing the entire mountain would have been impractical at any rate, seeing as it would cut off the ley-lines. Oh well, it's not like life was fair anyway.

As she set up a secondary bounded field over the original one that would counter any offensive, ranged, magical attacks, she considered summoning a Servant to protect the temple gate. It would be wise to do so later to avoid drawing unwanted attentions, but not so late such that there would undue limitations among the choices of other Servants.

She smiled; she had to think this matter through for maximum advantage.

* * *

><p>"I see…" Tokiomi said with a nod while speaking to Risei in Kotomine Church. "…so the Caster has been summoned. Have you any idea of the Servant's true identity?"<p>

"Unfortunately not at this point…" Risei said. "…the same goes for her Master. There is also the possibility that the Caster may have subverted her Master. Watch your back; that one is dangerous."

"I understand…" Tokiomi responded with a respectful nod, mindful of the elder Kotomine's greater experience. "…her identity will have to wait for some time before being exposed…have we any indications as to where she is hiding?"

"None also…" Risei answered. "…although that might change in the future. However I do not believe we should start turning stones just yet. Without Servants of our own provoking another Servant would be suicide."

"Agreed…" Kirei added from the side. "…while there is indeed a long-term risk in allowing Caster to dig in as it were, at this point it would only be prudent to allow her to do so. We'll just have to deal with her as needed in the future."

"Prudence…" Tokiomi said while shaking his head. "…as much as I detest the idea of giving the initiative to our enemy it seems that we truly have no choice at this point in time."

The priests nodded, and silence ensued. After a moment Tokiomi asked "Have you any idea of Sakura's whereabouts?"

"No." Kirei answered, and Risei shook his head as well. "We're looking as hard as we can, but we have found no indications as to where she is, as well as who could possibly have taken her."

"Matou Manor was destroyed from the inside though." Tokiomi mused. "Could it have been an inside job?"

"Unlikely…" Risei countered. "…Zouken would never have allowed anyone in his family to grow that strong."

Tokiomi sighed at the implied rebuke. "I only want what is best for my daughter." He laconically reasoned out.

"If you've made your final decision, then there's no point in further discussion." Risei said dismissively. "At any rate we should continue our search at least until the war begins. Once then it might be dangerous to divide our resources between fighting the others and searching for the girl."

The other two nodded in agreement, and after several more moments of inconsequential discussion the group went their own ways.

* * *

><p>Caster tucked her Master into bed before turning off the lights. She immediately went into astral form, and patiently waited for Sakura and the other Humans in the temple to fall asleep. Once they were, Caster made her to the temple courtyard and scattered dragon teeth on the ground before her.<p>

The magus smiled as soil and rock formed up around the scattered teeth and brought forth large numbers of Dragon Tooth Warriors. Combat ability-wise they weren't worth much, but they had their uses. She held out several vials and several of the familiars stepped forwards and took a vial each. She nodded and the warriors stalked off into the night, to collect additional prana for their mistress. It was something of a risk since as the only Servant summoned thus far she would be the obvious culprit, but it was a calculated risk. Without Servants of their own – yet – and so long as she didn't actually kill anyone then she believed that the Overseer would let the matter go.

Caster began walking back to her shared room with Sakura, only to find the little girl awake and looking up at the stars. "Caster…" the little girl greeted her as she approached.

"Were you looking at the stars?"

Sakura nodded. "…the stars are nice. They never stop shining." She said, and then her expression fell. "They're not like people."

"Don't fret my dear." Caster said, patting her on the shoulder before sitting down next to her. "It's not your fault that your parents could care less about you."

"Will you kill them?"

"Do you still care about them?"

Sakura looked torn, but she eventually managed to give an answer. "If my parents die, then my sister will be sad."

Personally Caster was tempted just to kill the other girl to indirectly hurt her Master's worthless parents, but something warned her that doing so would sabotage her long-term plans. "Very well…" she said with a theatrical smile. "…I won't kill them. But that doesn't mean I won't fight them if they stand against me. Your father is practically guaranteed to do so."

Sakura just nodded at her thankfully before looking back at the stars. "I want to learn magic too." She said after a moment, and Caster nodded slowly. She'd expected something like this eventually.

"I can teach you a little I suppose."

"Only a little…?"

"My magic isn't something that modern Humans can use." She said with a smile at the little girl beside her. "If you want to learn it, then you're going to have to change something."

Sakura just blinked her eyes while looking questioningly at her. "If you want to learn my magic…" Caster continued. "…then you're going to need to learn how to speak Divine Words."

"Can you teach me that?"

"It's not something that can be taught." Caster said, and the little girl immediately looked saddened. "It's something you're born with, and unfortunately modern Humans can't be born with it."

"Oh…"

"Ah, let me finish." Caster said comfortingly. "I said you'll need to change something. There is a way for you to be able to speak the words of the gods."

"…really…?" Sakura said while brightening up. "What is it?"

"You have to become my child." Caster said. "It's a simple ritual, though some of the effects might take a while to become evident."

"Will it hurt?" Sakura asked, and Caster blinked.

"No it won't." she answered. "But think about it Sakura. There's no turning back from this. Once the ritual is done, then it will be as if I bore you, and you will share my blood."

Sakura looked downcast. "I don't want to leave my sister alone." She whispered.

"_Ah such sisterly love…_" Caster thought with mixed admiration, respect, and exasperation. "_…an admirable sentiment, but also very childish…if what you told me about her is true, it's clear that she's very loyal to your father. She might sell you out in the future. But then again a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I suppose I can filter such sentiments out of you at my leisure._"

"Don't worry, you won't leave her alone." She assured the girl. "You'll still share the same father. But your mother…"

"I…I understand father had…things he had to do…" Sakura stammered out as her eyes watered, her voice filled with grief and anger. "…but mother…she didn't say anything…sister…she didn't say anything…but mother…why…?"

"Some people are just like that." Caster said, her mind already working on how to turn Sakura against her parents. "The appearance and the truth don't always match."

Sakura looked at her. "It really won't hurt?" she asked.

Caster smiled triumphantly. "Child…" she began. "…I'm from the Age of the Gods. We had excellence back then. Even the greatest triumphs of this age are as nothing compared to our triumphs. Believe me when I say that I can do things to the Human body which magi of this age would envy out of the painless and artful way I do them."

Sakura looked back to the stars and nodded after a long moment. "Okay…I'll do it."

* * *

><p>AN

Yes, I re-wrote Second Chance. Problem…?


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 2

Rin Tohsaka was playing with her mother in the park, although it just wasn't the same without her sister. Of course, officially she never had a sister now. Sakura was supposed to have been adopted by the Matou Clan, but she'd vanished the night of the same day she'd left, and the Matou Manor had been left in ruins.

And now the Fourth Holy Grail War was on. The search for Sakura had been called off, and the girl presumed dead.

Her mother had cried hard at the news, devastated for the second time this year. The first time had of course been when Sakura had been taken away, and now…Rin shook her head as she ran after a brightly-coloured ball and brought it back to her mother. She couldn't cry. For Sakura' sake, and for her mother's sake, she had to be strong. She had to be the magus her father wanted her to be, the perfect heiress to their family's legacy.

Aoi Tohsaka for her part could only bury her emotions in her heart. Kariya had recently visited, but the visit had turned sour, and Kirei had to physically drag the man out of the house after he'd tried to attack her husband. But her childhood friend's words had hurt more than any physical blow ever could.

_You disgust me, Aoi. You…you are ugly._

The man had left the city soon after a cursory visit to his so-called family, and had snubbed Aoi's attempt at reconciliation at the train station, condemning her for being little more than her husband's doll. Smiling at Rin as she brought the ball back, Aoi looked at her wristwatch.

"Let's go Rin." She said. "We have to meet your grandparents' for lunch, remember?"

The girl nodded and took her mother's hand before walking with her back to the car. Abruptly she paused, and then looked over a shoulder at a nearby patch of trees. "What's wrong?" Aoi asked and Rin just shook her head.

"It's nothing." She replied.

Mother and daughter continued to walk away, even as the shrouding collapsed around a blue-haired girl peering out from behind a tree. "Sister…" Sakura Colchis said sadly, staring after the other girl, and then narrowed her eyes at her former mother.

Shaking her head Sakura restored the shrouding before heading away. It would not do for her father's hired thugs or the pet psychopaths from the Church he associated himself with to spot her, or at least that was what her mother had said.

Her mother…it was still so strange to call her that. At least she'd gotten used to her new hair colour and the shift in her facial and body structure, which had finally settled down last month. The shift had been uncomfortable at first, though that quickly vanished. Getting used to her new appearance took a bit longer though, seeing as she now looked like a childish version of her mother with her father's eyes – and her sister's ribbon of course. She would never let go of that. Rin…she was the only one from her old family who cared. Father…Mrs Tohsaka…they never cared for her at all.

Her mother had said those words, but it was getting harder and harder for her to resist accepting it. As more and more power and knowledge were poured into her, she could all but feel her resistance to the truth fading away.

_They never loved you._

_You were always meant to be thrown away._

And she knew it was right. Modern magi placed great pride on their humanity, but it was a façade. In more ways than one they were just as much monsters as their enemies, the Dead Apostles were. At that thought Sakura paused on her way back to the temple where she and her mother had been living at for the past year.

"_I will never be a monster._" She silently declared to the sky.

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu Emiya used a coloured pen to mark out the city's ley-lines on a map. "The ley-lines have been subverted." The man observed before lighting a cigarette. "Really now, Caster was summoned early it seems. Whoever they are, they probably have a lot of prana by now."<p>

"Sabre has A-rank magic resistance, doesn't she?" Maiya Hisau countered, and Kiritsugu shook his head before giving a reply.

"Unfortunately it seems that whoever Caster is, the conceptual weight of his or her mysteries is over three thousand years old." He said while pulling out a notebook and reviewing the data on the ley-lines his familiars had uncovered. "They may or may not be from the Age of the Gods, but they don't have to be. The profoundness of their mysteries is enough. Sabre's magic resistance may not be enough of an edge."

"We'll be targeting the Master then?"

Kiritsugu nodded slowly, as though he was still unsure. "We'll have to be careful." He finally said. "If Caster is truly from the Age of the Gods, then it's unlikely that they'll be as unwary as modern magi."

"They'll be aware that their Master is their weakness." Maiya finished grimly. "I understand. The Master will either be well-protected or will be bait for a trap. It might even be both."

Kiritsugu nodded before turning back to the map. "At any rate Caster is only one Servant, even if he or she's probably the most prepared short of Tohsaka or Matou."

"We'll follow the plan then?"

"Correct…" Kiritsugu confirmed with another nod. "…we'll have Iri and Sabre move out tomorrow night, and draw out the enemy. Doubtless there is a chance that not all the Masters will be idiots, but considering how asinine most magi are there is an even bigger chance of someone taking the bait."

"I know that it's already too late to change the plan but won't this place Lady Irisviel at risk?" Maiya asked.

Kiritsugu didn't answer immediately. Both he and Irisviel were more than prepared to do what needed to be done to win the contest but…Kiritsugu just shook his head. Now was not the time for second thoughts. "Iri knows what's at stake." He answered with his thoughts on his and Irisviel's daughter.

Maiya simply bowed in response and didn't say anything. Kiritsugu breathed deep and then blew out a stream of smoke before turning back to the map of Fuyuki.

* * *

><p>Kirei Kotomine watched protectively from the side as Tokiomi Tohsaka said his farewells to his wife and daughter. "Take care of yourself." Aoi Tohsaka was saying. "I…I've already lost a child and my best friend. I…I can't lose anymore. So please…please come back to me."<p>

Tokiomi just smiled and placed a hand fondly on her cheek. "Fear not…" he assured her. "…my Servant is undoubtedly the strongest of them all. Victory is already assured, and when this war ends our daughter's inheritance shall rival even Marshall Zelretch's own power."

Aoi smiled back, but Kirei inwardly rolled his eyes. The King of Heroes was mighty indeed, but he didn't exactly see eye-to-eye with Tokiomi. Such dissension would greatly tip the balance between Tokiomi and his rivals. Kirei looked away as the farewell between husband and wife grew emotional.

_He wondered what expression she would make if Tokiomi was killed in front of her._

Kirei shuddered at the thought and buried it deep. At the same time he noted the golden light of sunset touching Mt Ryuudo. The priest's eyes narrowed at the sight, recognizing the mountain for what it was.

_Mt Ryuudo, heart of the Holy Grail, and stronghold of the Servant of the Spell._

"Kirei-kun…" Tokiomi said as he walked up to the priest. "…is something the matter?"

"No…" he replied with a polite bow. "…it is of no concern."

Tokiomi apparently wasn't satisfied with that, as he glanced at Mt Ryuudo as well. "Indeed…" he said. "…Caster is no longer of any concern. Let her enjoy the apparent safety of her fanciful fortifications, it matters not in the end."

* * *

><p>"Water is not your element…" Caster was speaking in an instructive manner while walking around her daughter, who was sitting on the ground next to a bronze, water-filled basin. As the two of them were outside under the night sky, the clean water sparkled with the light of the stars. "…however as it is simply a medium it should be of no concern."<p>

Sakura nodded in understanding. Originally she did not have elemental affinities, but apparently blood adoption had changed not only her sorcery trait – from Imaginary Numbers to Divine Words – but had granted her a rare dual affinity for Wind and Ether.

"…tonight's exercise will be on using the water mirror to remotely view distant places, people, and events." Caster finished before projecting her own viewing sphere. "Now my dear, follow my lead."

Sakura nodded again, and waved a hand over the basin. The water mirror turned milky and briefly displayed the same image her mother was viewing but the spell swiftly unravelled and the water turned clear once more. Sakura swallowed and concentrated again. Her sorcery trait may remove the need for incantations among other limitations of modern magecraft, but now the burden was on her mind's ability to command the ancient mysteries which 'wrapped' around her.

"Calm yourself my dear." Caster said gently. "Haste leads to tension, and tension disrupts one's concentration. You must learn to concentrate all the while remaining alert to the surrounding world. Be as the eye of the storm."

Sakura nodded, and then breathed deeply for a few moments. And then she started over. This time, the spell didn't unravel. Sakura smiled and looked at her mother, who smiled back and patted her on the head. "That's a good girl."

Caster began to flash her viewing sphere across the city, and Sakura tried to follow. She lagged at first, but quickly fell into step. Caster smiled and nodded encouragingly at her.

Sakura next tried to focus entirely on her water mirror, letting her connection to her mother as Master and Servant to intuitively tell her what to view. At the same time she extended her physical senses over her surroundings, all the while maintaining tight control over her magic.

"_Ambitious aren't we…?_" Caster telepathically commented with obvious amusement. Sakura grit her teeth, wanting to impress her mother and not lose control. "_Don't push yourself. But still…very good._"

Sakura nodded and continued the exercise. "Wait…" Caster said, halting the exercise and focusing on a very familiar location.

Sakura's eyes narrowed in recognition. "Tohsaka Estate…" she whispered, and then she noticed the black-clad and white-masked figure charging into the grounds. "…Assassin…"

Caster watched silently, noting with complete lack of interest the magical defences of the Tohsaka Estate, and how Assassin easily manoeuvred his way through them. She merely raised an eyebrow at the gold-plated figure which barred the Assassin's entrance into Tohsaka Manor before cutting it to pieces with what were apparently multiple Noble Phantasms.

The ancient magus just shook her head disapprovingly as the golden Servant issued a brazen challenge to anyone who was watching. "…tacky…" she commented with distaste. "…very tacky…your father is average as a magus, clumsy as a tactician, and a complete failure as a playwright."

Sakura muttered something under her breath, and Caster smiled in response. "Well yes, he is that too."

"Mom, what was the point of all that?" the little girl asked.

"Sakura…" Caster began patiently. "…would an assassin attack from the front?"

"No, an assassin would try to…oh…"

"Exactly…" Caster said with a nod. "…our dear Tokiomi wishes for all his fellow Masters to believe that Assassin has fallen. However there is a high chance that Assassin is in fact still alive."

"…what do we do?"

"I'll send a familiar to investigate more thoroughly." Caster replied. "Something tells me that there's more to this than meets the eye. Assassin probably has some sort of skill that I'm as of yet unaware of, given that the attacker did in fact die."

Sakura nodded before replaying the vision on her water mirror. "There is no deception." She said after watching it twice more. "The truth is manifest."

Caster chuckled with amusement. "When you talk like that you sound very much unlike your age."

Sakura beamed at her. "Well, I did learn from the best." She said, and then she looked thoughtful. "Mom…if this is indeed father's plan, then maybe…"

"Assassin's Master is in league with Tokiomi…?" Caster said and looking thoughtful herself. "Yes…that makes sense. I've changed my mind. I'm sending a familiar to keep an eye on the Overseer's home instead. If Tokiomi's plan is to have everyone else think that Assassin is dead, then that Master must visit the Overseer. Knowledge is power…"

"…and therefore we must seek it out." Sakura finished and Caster patted her head again.

"Good girl…" she said. "…now pack up your things. Afterwards you can help me prepare a familiar, and then we can call it a night."

Sakura nodded and immediately picked up her water mirror. Caster looked out over the mountain to Fuyuki City. She narrowed her eyes. "The war has begun…" she said. "…but not all the actors are worth much it seems."

* * *

><p>"It seems that there was a break-in at the city library during the previous night." Irisviel told Sabre the following morning. "What with all the commotion over Assassin's apparent demise it's no surprise it would take someone like Kiri to notice."<p>

"I do not believe Assassin is dead." Sabre said firmly. "There are too many holes in the whole story."

"Apparently Kiri agrees." Irisviel said, and Sabre grimaced inwardly. She didn't exactly dislike or hate her true Master, but she found his methodology…distasteful. "He's already sent a familiar to try and find out Assassin's Master."

"Did he find anything out?"

"Kirei Kotomine; he's Assassin's Master."

"The Overseer's son…?"

Irisviel nodded. "Kiritsugu suspects that the Overseer may in fact be in league with Tohsaka." She said. "Given how delicate the situation is, he's decided against moving against either until he finds more hard evidence. So for now we'll continue with the predetermined plan."

"I see."

"He also found something else of interest." Irisviel added, and Sabre looked at the motherly homunculus curiously who smiled at her.

"Apparently the Caster has also not been fooled, as a shrouded familiar matching the traces of Caster's mysteries from around the city was also keeping an eye on the church. There's a chance that it just might be there regardless of the events of the previous night, but given that it left shortly after the younger Kotomine was confirmed as Assassin's Master…"

"Caster…" Sabre echoed. "…the Servant of the Spell…"

"Anyway going back to the library the break-in was rather unusual given what was taken."

Sabre looked at Irisviel curiously as she broke off to giggle. "What was stolen?"

"Two books: Iliad and Odyssey."

"Homer's tales of the Fall of Troy and the Journeys of Odysseus…?" Sabre asked blankly. "Why would anyone want to steal those?"

* * *

><p>Caster fumed at her findings, incensed by the Overseer's apparent treachery. Despite her reputation, she had never betrayed anyone before she herself had been betrayed. Even her father and brother…that had only been because the gods had tricked her…excuses they may sound and that was perhaps what they were, but they were still the truth.<p>

_The truth will be the truth even if others are too obtuse to admit it._

Sakura was unfazed by her mother's anger, instead working to calm her down by brushing her hair. Surprisingly enough, Caster found it rather soothing. "Mom…" Sakura finally spoke up. "…instead of sulking maybe we should think about how to work this out."

Caster laughed, feeling her bad mood beginning to ease. "An adult being lectured on sulking by a child, and by one's own child as well…? What's the world coming to?"

Sakura shared a laugh with her mother. "So…? What do we do?"

Caster narrowed her eyes while thinking the matter over. Sakura continued to brush her mother's hair, and wondered if she too should grow her hair out. "Kirei Kotomine…" Caster mused aloud. "…that man is dangerous. Even a cursory scan will show that he's no weakling. He should be dealt with at arm's length. But…"

"But…?" Sakura echoed before Caster smiled over a shoulder and pulled her daughter into her lap.

"One day Sakura you'll learn to read people with a single glance." She assured the girl while running a hand through her hair. "Kirei is empty you see."

"Huh?"

"Well not literally of course." Caster said, and stayed silent for a little while. Sakura rested back against her mother, taking comfort in her presence. "He might be useful." The Servant of the Spell finally finished. "It might be worth to take the time to meet with and speak to him."

Sakura thought for a moment and added "He's father's friend, so if we get him to work for us…"

"…then your father will be displeased." Caster added gleefully and then tickled Sakura who laughed uncontrollably while feebly trying to fight back. "Well done. It seems that you've taken your first step into learning how to hurt people without actually hurting them."

Sakura briefly looked troubled and Caster brushed a lock of hair out of the way of her eyes. "Don't worry Sakura." She assured her daughter. "We only hurt people if they hurt us first. Never throw the first punch."

"If they hurt us first, then no one will wonder why we hurt them back." Sakura said, and Caster nodded approvingly.

* * *

><p>"Hey Rider…" Waver asked his giant of a Servant. "…do you really think Assassin is dead?"<p>

"Why do you ask?"

"It…it smells fishy if you ask me."

"Fishy…?" Rider echoed blankly and looking up from the book he was reading. "I don't smell any fish."

"It was a figure of speech!" Waver exploded, and Rider just grinned and laughed at his expense in response.

"Oh I see! It's a new way of talking in the modern era is it…?" he said in amused comprehension, and then he completely got serious. "But I don't see what fish has to do with it…"

"Never mind the fish…" Waver said exasperatedly. "…what about Assassin?"

"Assassin…" Rider echoed thoughtfully. "…yes, I think it seems too obvious, especially with golden boy's overacting – believe me I know good acting when I see it – and the fact that no assassin worth the term would ever attack from the front."

"Then…?"

"We still know too little to make any decisions for now regarding Assassin." Rider said after a long moment of thought. "He may or may not be dead, but seeing as there is a chance for Assassin to still be alive, we'll just have to watch our backs."

Rider then caught sight of Waver's unhappy expression and grinned at him. "Cheer up boy!" he barked, and Waver yelped and slipped to fall onto the floor. "Rest and enjoy yourself while you can, for tonight we ride to glory and victory!"

"_That's what you said last night too…_" Waver grumbled silently while rubbing his ass. "_…but all we did was break into the city library and steal a couple of books which I could easily have bought in the morning. Oh well, I suppose it's not like anyone was hurt so…_"

Waver's thoughts were interrupted when Rider's stomach complained loudly. Rider looked surprised too before glancing at the clock. "Look at the time!" he commented with a grin before looking at Waver. "Boy, what say you we go find something to eat?"

Waver just sighed and nodded with resignation.

_It was going to be one of those days._

* * *

><p>AN

Time-skip one year and we arrive at the Fourth Heaven's Feel.

There are seven Masters, but Matou does not have a Master. Kariya has cut off all ties to Aoi and everyone thinks Sakura is dead…for now. Obviously the seventh Master is Caster. As to who her Servant is…that's a secret.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 3

"Sakura…" Caster said while shaking her daughter awake. "…wake up."

"Mom…?" Sakura echoed sleepily and rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"The first battle of the war has begun." Caster replied, and Sakura forcibly shook the sleep out of her consciousness.

"Who's fighting who?" she asked while rising to a sitting position. Caster sat down as well, and activated her viewing spell before giving a reply.

"The combatants are Lancer vs Sabre." She said. "It also seems that Lancer's Master isn't so bad…for a modern magus. As a tactician the battlegrounds were also chosen well. He chose an industrial district along the river's west bank from where all the workers had left hours ago, to say nothing of a bounded field to keep just about anyone – mundane or magical – from sensing the battle, even if it doesn't actually stop them from spotting or hearing through the bounded field."

"Then how'd you know?"

Caster's lips curled. "Lancer's Master threw up an impressive bounded field, and I doubt I'd have noticed it or the battlefield otherwise. However you might recall that your father is the Supervisor of this entire city, is he not?"

As expected Sakura looked uncomfortable at the mention of her father but she nodded in agreement with her mother. "There is a bounded field in place over the city to detect the entry of magi or magical beings even if it doesn't actually track their accurate positions. With the Holy Grail War this field is inactive, but considering your father's meagre talents it was easy enough to subvert the field and tune its detection functions to battles we otherwise would not have known about."

"Amazing…"

"Remember Sakura…" Caster said with an index finger held up like a teacher reminding a student. "…it may not always be applicable, but learn how and when to use other people's assets against them, and also to never get caught."

Sakura nodded, and while a part of her felt uncomfortable at the underhanded methodology her mother was teaching her, most of her felt excited at the cloak-and-dagger techniques she was being taught. It felt so different from the half-remembered and eavesdropped fragments of conversations between her sister and their father, wherein the latter had propounded the idea the magi should comport themselves with pride and elegance worthy of their station.

Her mother had pride and elegance there was no doubt about that, but she felt no real need to lord it over common men like Tokiomi Tohsaka did. And Sakura felt right. Secrecy was needed there was also no doubt about that, but there was no need to take it over the top by shrouding one's self in aristocratic trappings and artificialities. Modern magi…their ways were not for her.

She was a magus of the old world – albeit a fledgling one – who lived an open secret of a life among mundane mortals and masking her true nature by diverting others' attentions to her other talents. As for those 'other' talents…she'd have to think on them later on.

"Impressive…" Caster commented as she and Sakura watched the battle between Sabre and Lancer through her viewing sphere. "…Sabre's strength is especially impressive, considering that she's quite a frail girl in terms of appearance."

"Appearances can be deceiving…" Sakura commented, and Caster smiled.

"That is true." She agreed, and then she focused back to the battle. "Lancer's driving Sabre back. Curious, Sabre's combat abilities should be higher than that."

"…maybe she's trying to figure out who he is?"

"It's possible…" Caster conceded with a nod. "…if that's the case then she's trying to buy time. Let's see…judging from his features and accent he's probably from the Celtic tribes of the north, or one of their descendants. The Celts were quite fond of spears, and the legends of their descendants had quite a few legendary ones…so who is he?"

"I feel funny when I look at his face." Sakura complained. "It's not that I'm disgusted or anything, it's just like my blood suddenly boils and fights down something…something…"

Caster raised an eyebrow at her daughter's comment before looking back to the battlefield. "Could it be?" she wondered aloud. There was no doubt about it: Lancer either had Mystic Eyes of Charm or a mystic face. Normally most modern magi lacked the magic resistance to counter something of the sort from a Servant, but then again Sakura was not a modern magus, nor was she an ordinary Human.

_She like her mother was a descendant of the Titan of the Sun, mighty Helios the Golden._

It was impossible for one of divine descent to be subverted by something as mundane as a mystic face, at least not without active effort on the wielder's part. "Famous lance…Celtic descent…a mystic face…" Caster muttered before smiling with satisfaction. "…I think I know who he is."

"Who is he?" Sakura asked, and Caster chuckled.

"You'll see." She replied evasively, and Sakura pouted much to her amusement.

* * *

><p>"That's enough playing around Lancer." Lancer's unseen Master commanded from the shadows, and Irisviel started before looking around her in surprise. "Stop dragging this fight out. Sabre is truly a formidable foe, but I grow tired of this conflict. Finish the battle, and use your full power if necessary."<p>

Sabre narrowed her eyes and settled into a defensive stance as Lancer sighed at his Master's orders. "Sabre…" the Celtic warrior began. "…I have the utmost respect for you as a swordsman and a fellow knight. However I must obey my liege lord. Surely you understand."

Sabre said nothing and simply gave a nod. In response Lancer discarded his golden lance before uncovering his other weapon and exposing the crimson lance that was the pair of his other weapon. "Though it may seem impudent of me to forcibly expose your secret, by order of my lord I must fight you with all my strength. Thus I will expose your sword Sabre!"

"Let's see you try." Sabre said, and then she leapt forward to pre-empt Lancer's attack. Lancer leapt forward to the attack and caught Sabre's sword, deflecting it to the side. Gusts of wind erupted as Invisible Air collapsed against the crimson lance, and exposing the gleaming golden blade beneath the hurricane. With a muttered curse Sabre sprang back, Lancer doing likewise with a mixed expression of shock, surprise, and respect on his face.

"That lance…" Sabre whispered. "...its golden mate…your appearance and mystic face. There's no doubt about it then."

"I could say the same for you." Lancer said before smiling and giving a polite bow. "There is only one sword like yours in the whole world, and only you could possibly wield it. Please forgive me for underestimating you, King of Knights. It will not happen again."

Sabre watched dispassionately as Lancer picked up Gae Buidhe with one hand, all the while keeping hold of Gae Dearg in the other. "The Knight of Fianna…" Sabre said while holding her sword two-handed in a salute. "…you have my respect. As such I will fight you as befits a fellow knight."

"Actions speak louder than words." Lancer replied, and then he leapt to attack.

"Indeed…" Sabre returned before charging as well. The two knights came together, Gae Buidhe's golden form meeting Invisible Air and parrying it to the side once more, even as Gae Dearg's crimson form lanced toward Sabre's torso. Sabre twisted to the side, pulling her sword free from Lancer's blade-lock, but Gae Dearg cut through her enchanted armour and cut a gash into her side.

Irisviel cried out, and as Sabre stepped into a defensive stance Lancer pressed the assault home. This time the assault was opened up with Gae Buidhe hurled at Sabre like a javelin, the Knight of the Sword parrying it to the side even as Lancer charged in with Gae Dearg held two-handed. Sabre ground her teeth as Lancer's superior range poked holes in her defence; despite her best efforts, the best she could do was avoid getting killed even as Gae Dearg lanced through her armour again and again and leaving her torso and arms covered with multiple cuts and lacerations.

Biting back her frustration she managed to catch Gae Dearg with a two-handed blow and hurled the apparently surprised Lancer back. Stepping into a new stance, the blonde immediately used prana burst to launch a counterattack…only to adopt an expression of shock as Lancer smiled before using a foot to kick his golden lance up from the ground and into his free hand.

"...damn…!" she shouted as Gea Dearg deflected her sword down and to the side, and Gae Buidhe lanced towards her throat. Fortunately she was close enough to use Lancer as a kickboard, kicking him away from her all the while allowing her to simultaneously spring back and avoiding getting her throat cut open.

"Magnificent swordsmanship…" Lancer said as he rotated both spears in his hands simultaneously. "…you are truly worthy of your reputation."

"Don't sell yourself short Lancer." Sabre said as Irisviel ran up to her and began fussing over her injuries. Lancer just smiled and graciously allowed Irisviel to finish. It wasn't very chivalric to fight a foe while he or she was with someone unarmed after all. "Your skills are formidable in their own right."

"True…" he said, crouching slightly as he prepared to attack with Irisviel backing away. "…shall we resume where we left off?"

Sabre nodded, and took her stance…and lightning fell from the sky to strike the ground between the two knights.

* * *

><p>"By Hades…!" Caster hissed as an ox-drawn chariot landed thunderously in between the two Servants. More to her interest were the lightning bolts that wreathed the divine bulls' – what else could they have been – hooves and the chariot's wheels. "That has to be the Rider." she said darkly. "Who else could it be? Divine bulls…a war chariot from the battlefields of the ancient world…this is bad…"<p>

Her voice trailed off as the walking mountain that drove the chariot spread his arms wide. "Lay down your arms!" he roared with equal authority and joviality. "The King has arrived! I am Iskander, the King of Conquerors, and the Rider-class Servant of this Holy Grail War!"

"Is he crazy?" Sakura asked incredulously as she watched Rider silence his protesting Master with a flick to the forehead. "Shouting out his true identity like that…"

"Really now…" Caster said with faintly-evident exasperation. "…it would seem my countryman has a taste for the dramatic. As for shouting out his identity…"

Caster paused before narrowing her eyes and stroking her chin thoughtfully. "…no, I don't believe this is a mistake. On the contrary, I would think that the King of Conquerors has made a calculated gamble."

"...what…?"

"Oh sorry…" Caster said sincerely. "…to make it simpler, Iskander has no real need to keep his identity secret. The psychological effect of knowing that one faces the greatest conqueror the world has ever seen probably is enough to balance it out. Furthermore Iskander may not show it, but I have no doubt that he's already factored in the weaknesses that would be exposed should he compromise his identity. Anyone who tries to capitalize on them would be in for a surprise."

Caster smiled. "What an interesting bastard. I like him. Sakura bring out your basin."

The girl looked at her with surprise evident on her face. "I might need to pay my respects to my exalted countryman before the battle ends." She explained and after a moment Sakura walked off to get her things.

* * *

><p>"It seems to me that fate has brought us all together to fight for the one and only Holy Grail." Iskander continued to proclaim. "However it seems to me that great and mighty heroes such as we have no real need to submit to such a thing as 'fate'. And so I ask of you: will you not surrender the Grail to me and join the ranks of my army? Should you choose to do so, then I will regard you as among my trusted allies, and together we shall share in the blessing of the Holy Grail!"<p>

All in all he felt that his offer was quite generous, and was confident that at the least his fellow heroes would consider it briefly. As it was, the Knights of the Lance and the Sword immediately issued heated objections to his offer. "I'm willing to negotiate." He said half-heartedly, only to be rejected…again.

"Furthermore…" Sabre began to add. "…I too am a King. With the responsibility of the governance of Britain on my shoulders, I cannot simply surrender my obligations to become a retainer of another."

"The King of Britain you say?" Rider echoed with surprise. "Well now I never expected the King of Knights to be such a young girl."

Sabre smirked dangerously before drawing herself up to her full height. "Then would you care to see what this little girl is capable of, King of Conquerors?"

Rider just made a sound of exasperation and began to scratch his head. "I hate it when negotiations fail." He muttered, and then he broke off to look to the side as another Servant's presence filled the air. Everyone else felt it too, and could only watch with surprise and trepidation as a gold-armoured blonde appeared in a swirl of golden light atop a nearby lamppost.

"Archer…is it?" Lancer said guardedly, but the golden Servant didn't even look in his direction.

"Mongrels and pretenders…" Archer sneered. "…you should consider it an honour that I would deign to lower myself to be seen by the likes of you."

Sabre bristled at the insult while Rider crossly turned to look at him. "Strong words…" he retorted. "…yet if you are a king, surely there would be no need to hide behind the title of your class is there?"

"Pretender…" Archer said impatiently. "…there is no need for me to give my name. Indeed, as the one and only King to whom all others are mere pretenders it is to be expected for all to know who I am by sight alone."

"That sounds interesting…" Rider began with a grin only to trail off as another Servant's presence filled the battlefield. Rider's grin vanished as a man with long, red hair and encased in ancient Chinese armour appeared to the side. "…oh…Berserker is it now?"

"Well King of Conquerors…?" Lancer asked with dark humour. "Will you extend your invitation to him as well?"

"Of course I would." Rider responded. "But it remains to be seen whether or not Berserker is capable of accepting it." The giant then turned to his Master, who was cowering while looking out over the rim of the chariot. "What can you tell me about him?"

"His lowest stats are C-rank." Waver managed to blurt out. "Everything else is either A-rank or B-rank."

In the meantime Berserker had taken a few steps forward and glared up at Archer. A few moments later and Archer's crimson eyes were on the Servant of Madness like a viper surveying one that had disturbed its tranquillity. "Who gave you permission to look upon me, you mad dog?" Archer snarled, and then to everyone's surprise a pair of golden portals opened beside Archer and a pair of blades slid out and aimed at Berserker. "Rejoice mongrel, for you have been granted the honour of dying by the King's hand."

The blades briefly flashed with prana and then lanced with terrific speed at Berserker. But the madman was just as fast, a halberd appearing in his hand and carving through the air to strike both blades to the side with such skill as to impress even the Knight of Fianna. In the next moment Berserker's Noble Phantasm split to form a bow and arrow and shocking everyone present.

"Impossible…!" Irisviel cried out as Berserker took an archer's stance and aimed his bow at Archer. "A Berserker couldn't possibly…!"

"It clearly isn't impossible." Rider said with obvious interest as Berserker fired his arrow, the projectile loaded with enough power to form a coherent beam of energy that lit the night sky before striking a hole through the clouds. Archer managed to avoid the attack, and it was with a face contorted by fury that he landed on the ground.

"How dare you?" he hissed with towering fury. "To make me stand on the ground…!"

Belligerently silent, Berserker didn't let him finish, transforming his Noble Phantasm back into a halberd and charging Archer. Archer managed to avoid the attack, which left a crater on the ground, but Berserker's mobility and combat sense was simply terrifying. As though he already knew that Archer would dodge, he dragged his halberd across the ground and carved a trench across the crater before striking up towards Archer's flank.

This time Archer couldn't dodge, and he was forced to raise his arm to block. The golden armour buckled and barely held, part of the halberd punching through to strike flesh. The kinetic force of the blow also sent him flying across the battlefield to strike a building with a loud crash. But this time Berserker also couldn't follow through, Archer proving his adaptability and already firing out his own Noble Phantasms at Berserker even as he was sent flying.

Berserker fell back into a defensive stance and deflected the multiple Noble Phantasms shot at him, not giving an inch of ground and finished his defence back in the same stance he'd started with. "Mongrel…" Archer snarled with a dreadfully quiet tone of voice, blood dripping down an arm through buckled and broken armour. "…mad dog…you dare defile the King's form…ten thousand deaths will not suffice!"

This time dozens of portals opened around Archer, and all other Servants took a step back at the sight, with the sole exception of Rider who looked on with a neutral expression. And then just as quickly, the tension of the battle vanished as Archer looked to the side with an expression of disgust. "To forestall the King's justice and to dare use a command spell…" he spat. "…you have nerve Tokiomi! You and I shall have words on my return!"

Archer looked back at Berserker and then at the other Servants present. "Mongrels…" he said. "…your great number offends me. Make certain to cull your numbers the next time we meet."

With a contemptuous expression Archer turned and left, vanishing as he had arrived. "That was quite a show." Rider finally commented after a few moments with a thoughtful expression on his face. "An Archer who uses swords and other bladed weapons as projectiles to be fired from thin air, and a Berserker who can use his weapon with skill...it seems that our fellow heroes are quite distinguished."

At the mention of its title Berserker glanced at Rider's direction, and causing Waver to fall back into the chariot with a gasp of fear. Berserker and Rider locked eyes, and Sabre and Lancer shared worried glances before turning back to the battle of wills. After several moments Berserker gave way, and vanished into astral form. "He's got a strong mind that one." Rider said thoughtfully. "Even with Mad Enhancement, it's taking a lot of power for his Master to keep him under control."

"Berserkers always take a lot of power to control." Caster commented as she appeared out of nowhere much to everyone's surprise and walked up beside Rider. "It's a given for the class, to impose one's rational control over something that cannot comprehend such concepts."

"Caster…!" Irisviel cried out, and this time Sabre sprang into action and into a protective position beside the homunculus. Caster just smiled at Irisviel and then at Lancer who blushed faintly before looking away. Understandable really, given her somewhat unearthly beauty left exposed by her lowered hood.

"Well now, it's also given for a Caster to wield potent sorceries…" Rider said with a grin and a bow to the Servant of the Spell. "…but beauty is a magic of its own. The magic in this regard is quite exquisite."

"Flatterer…" she responded with a smile and a laugh, and Rider returned the laugh jovially.

"So what say you Caster?" he asked with a smile. "Won't you join my great and mighty army?"

* * *

><p>AN

Yes, it's going to be different. The goal here is to make a pair of Magnificent Bastards in the form of Caster and Sakura. It shouldn't be so hard, seeing as Caster just has to tone her 'evil' down a bit from canon, and canon Sakura was a Magnificent Bastard in Carnival Phantasm (she's apparently the one who sabotaged Shirou and Shiki's multiple dates).

Yes, Berserker is Lu Bu from Fate/Extra. Random selection by the Grail and it's obvious that Caster's his Master, though not to the people in the story.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 4

"Again with your jokes, King of Conquerors…?" Sabre retorted. "Caster may not be a knight, but magi have their own pride. I find it unlikely that…"

"Now, now, Sabre…" Caster admonished the blonde gently, sounding for the entire world like a teacher rebuking a student that was talking out of place. The situation looked so farcical that Irisviel actually giggled at Sabre's expense, earning her a betrayed glance from the blonde. "…I believe the King of Conquerors addressed the question to me."

Caster turned back to Rider and paused dramatically before giving an answer. "Well I suppose if it's simply a matter of who gets the Grail I could just give it to you. My wish isn't too much, and in any case considering my…situation I've already come up with a few…hypotheses as to alternative means of achieving it. Don't misunderstand though; I'm not saying I will join your army…yet."

Rider tilted his head to the side. "Oh?" he began. "Alternative means to obtain your wish? Curious…care to share?"

Caster laughed and said "Maybe…why don't you gather the other Servants and we can all share our motivations…"

Rider laughed uproariously. "That's a great idea!" he said happily. "I was already thinking of gathering the other kings to discuss important matters, but since we're all Heroic Spirits here, why not just gather everyone else?"

Caster blinked - it was meant as a joke - and all but gaped at the King of Conquerors' nigh-insane proposition. However she was swiftly prevented from replying when an arrogant voice again spoke from the shadows. "You Servants talk too much." It retorted. "Lancer, what are you doing? Letting the others…"

"Hey, hey…" Rider interrupted. "…Master of Lancer, there's no need to be so bloodthirsty now is there? Lancer and Sabre may indeed have a score to settle with each other, but there's no need to rush the confrontation. Let the flowers of the battlefield bloom in their own time, says I."

Lancer and Sabre smiled slightly at the implied complement, while Medea reached out and narrowed her eyes as she pinpointed the origin of the voice. "You're a mouthy one aren't you?" the voice said contemptuously, and Rider could only sigh in response.

"And pray tell…" Caster said just as contemptuously. "…who are you to talk down to Heroic Spirits?"

She didn't really expect an answer, and as such was surprised when none other than a trembling Waver Velvet gave one. "H-he's Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi." He stammered out.

"So you remember me, do you boy?" Kayneth said before Caster could respond. "Of all the people in the world I never expected you would be the one with the temerity to steal my catalyst. Now then Waver Velvet shall I instruct you as to the true terror of a battle between magi?"

Waver fell to his knees in terror, clutching his head while mentally asking himself what could have possessed him to do such a suicidal thing…only to be comforted as one of Rider's meaty hands landed on a shoulder. The young magus looked up in surprise, and saw Rider looking at him like a lion reassuring a cub. "Hey, Lord El-Melon or whatever you call yourself!" he shouted accusingly into the darkness. "You claim to have been meant to be my Master? Don't make me laugh! A coward like you who taunts from the shadows has no right to be my Master! Only one with the courage to risk the flames of war by my side has that right!"

"Well said King of Conquerors…" Caster said while clapping her hands. "…perhaps I too have no right to say anything considering my Master is not here but in her defence she is rather…frail. I've no doubt that she would stand by my side should the choice be given to her, but I would not risk her for the world." Caster paused and glanced at Waver. "Tell me boy, how far does the Lord El-Melloi's bloodline go back?"

"I…" Waver stammered out, and continued after an encouraging nod from Rider. "…I think it goes back nine generations."

"Nine generations…?" Caster said neutrally before giving her usual smile. "That's not bad…for a modern magus."

"What did you say?" Kayneth snarled angrily, incensed at a lowly Servant's apparent disregard for his family's descent. Caster's response was to raise her right hand, and to snap her fingers…and the illusions which kept Kayneth from sight shattered like glass, exposing the shocked mage-lord for all to see.

"Let me tell you a secret…" Caster said poisonously. "…I was born, raised, lived, and died at the height of the Age of the Gods. So my Lord El-Melloi, if it's a question of magic, which of us is truly superior?"

Various emotions played out quickly over Kayneth's face within the next few moments: anger, fear, humiliation, hatred…ultimately he turned his back on them and walked away. "Lancer…" he spat. "…I grow tired of this farce. We're withdrawing."

"Yes my lord." Lancer responded before turning to Sabre. "King of Knights, it seems that I must retire from the field for now. Live, and let us meet again to settle the score."

Sabre nodded, and Lancer gave a nod at both Rider and Caster before vanishing. "That was some impressive spell-work there, Caster." Rider complimented her, and Caster shrugged it off modestly.

"Child's play…" she said, and Rider laughed with amusement.

"Well now, it seems that we've reached the night's conclusion." He said before turning to Sabre. "Sabre, finish your battle with Lancer, and I will gladly face the victor."

The blonde looked uncertain, but gave a nod regardless. "As for you Caster, well you didn't give an outright refusal, so my offer still stands." He said with a measuring expression. "We could always use an arcane master."

"Is that what modern Humans call 'praises from Caesar'? I'm flattered." Caster replied with a bow, sending off the King of Conquerors laughing into the night sky. The Servant of the Spell then looked at Sabre, and the two women stared at each other silently. After several moments Caster smiled, and broke the silence. "Considering that so many heroes are men, I must say I'm honoured to meet another of the same gender."

Sabre remained silent, and Caster continued to smile. "Well if you don't have anything to say to me, then I suppose I shall take my leave." She said while pulling her cloak close to herself. "Oh that's right, here's a little parting gift: watch your back, Assassin is still alive after all."

As Caster teleported away from the battlefield, she laughed at Sabre and Irisviel's expressions.

* * *

><p>Archer threw open the doors of Tokiomi's private chambers, ignoring the blood dripping down an arm and ruining the expensive carpeting. The magus himself was already up from his chair, standing almost at attention. Archer had to concede that for all his sycophancy and nigh-impudent arrogance and greed, Tokiomi Tohsaka understood his place…barely.<p>

"Explain…" Archer demanded. "…you have one chance Tokiomi."

"Your Majesty…" Tokiomi said while bowing from the waist. "…I admit that it was rash of me to use a command spell on your person, and I understand your wrath at being disrespected so by a mad dog such as Berserker. However, as you yourself said, your enemies are merely mongrels and pretenders. It is your right no doubt to dispose of them as you please…however at the risk of incurring your ire further, would it not be better for them to fight and cull themselves? If that were the case, then the victor would be of greater worth to you as an opponent, if only by the tiniest fraction."

Archer remained silent, stonily gazing at Tokiomi's bent form. Sensing Kirei approach, Archer held out his arm. "Priest, you may attend to my injuries." He said. Kirei hesitated briefly, but then swiftly complied. "The armour will repair itself in time, as there none in this dull era with the skill to repair it, much the less the right to touch it." Archer said as Kirei healed his arm and Tokiomi continued to bow to him.

After a few moments Kirei bowed and stepped back, and Archer held up his arm before him and briefly examined his healed injury. "Impressive…" he said to Kirei. "…your skills are impressive priest."

"As for you…" Archer said to Tokiomi. "…your words have merit, but know your place. My mercy is granted, so be grateful you sycophantic dog."

As Archer strode off, Kirei swiftly closed the doors of the chamber behind him as Tokiomi wearily stumbled back into his chair. "Archer is powerful…" the magus said. "…too powerful one might even say. He does not truly understand who the Master is and who is the Servant."

"It is as you say."

"At the very least we now know the identities of three other Servants: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, King Arthur, and Alexander the Great. Berserker and Caster remain mysteries, but we now have a clue as to who the latter is, seeing as she said she was from the Age of the Gods."

"Furthermore it would seem that Caster's Master is truly her weakness." Kirei added. "She admitted that her Master is frail, and implied it would be a greater risk than normal if she were to enter the battlefield."

"We could also be meant to think that." Tokiomi countered. "Regardless, Caster's Master will no doubt be heavily-protected. She also knows that Assassin is still alive, does she not?"

"Yes…" Kirei confirmed. "…she's also passed this information onto Einzbern."

"Einzbern is allied with Emiya…" Tokiomi mused. "...why would Caster do so?"

* * *

><p>"So…" Kiritsugu Emiya said as he sat back in his chair. "…Assassin is still alive. The question now is why would Caster confirm it for us?"<p>

"Perhaps she means for us to eliminate Assassin for her?" Maiya essayed.

"It's possible…" Kiritsugu said while thinking the matter over. "…she probably suspects as we do that Assassin's Master is allied with Tohsaka. For some reason it would seem that Caster sees Assassin and his Master as her primary enemies, but is unwilling to take direct action due to Kotomine's association with Tohsaka and his Archer."

"So she's trying to use us as a meat-shield…?" Maiya replied with disgust, and Kiritsugu nodded.

"So it would seem." He agreed. "At any rate let's just keep our guard up. For now we'll focus on the Lord El-Melloi. Archer and Kotomine aside, Tohsaka's not really that much of a threat compared to the Lord El-Melloi. Even if Lancer isn't nearly as strong as Archer, as a magus the Lord El-Melloi is the most dangerous of all the Masters."

"Once the Lord El-Melloi is gone, then what…?"

"Caster or Rider should be our focus, or perhaps Berserker." Kiritsugu said while lighting a cigarette. "I wonder though; who is the Matou Master, and which is their Servant?"

* * *

><p>"Calm yourself Kayneth…" Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri said to the enraged mage-lord. "…getting angry will do you or us no good."<p>

"How can you just…?"

"Caster may be a Servant, but if she was telling the truth, then she truly is from the Age of the Gods." Sola interrupted him. "A magus of that time and age is not to be underestimated Kayneth. You know as well as I do that in those times the line between magic and magecraft was blurred beyond what it is now."

Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi took several deep breaths before sitting down at a convenient chair. "Yes, you're right." He conceded. "Caster may indeed only be a Servant, but as a magus she is superior to any of us. Perhaps I may have been…rash in my approach to her."

Sola knew all too well that moment of humility could only have come with no small amount of internal conflict on Kayneth's part.

…_arrogant bastard…_

It wasn't that Kayneth wasn't talented, it was just that his talent coupled with a lack of worthy challenges from their peers had made the man somewhat believing in his own self-entitlement. That belief in self-entitlement along with most magi's close-minded approach to the world made for a very arrogant person. Sola had detested him long before their arranged marriage had even been considered.

_I have my flaws but at least I'm not nearly as bad as he is._

Sola knew that she was in her own way cruel, spoiled, and only somewhat less arrogant than Kayneth was. But at least she was fair. Kayneth would never agree to anything that disagreed with his mentality. Sola however didn't need to have her ego get stoked every waking moment.

For instance there was that boy, Waver Velvet's little theory. There was no doubt at all that his theory would never have gained recognition considering the way the Clock Tower was run, but the theory was sound. She'd gone over the manuscript that Kayneth had disdainfully left lying around and examined it every way she could think…and couldn't find any way to refute it.

"_Talented instructor my foot…_" she mentally sneered. "_...more like a close-minded ass without any sense or appreciation of creativity._"

* * *

><p>The following day it rained very hard. Caster didn't really mind the rain, though she quickly had to find something to keep herself busy, otherwise she tended to reminisce about the past. And her past was not something to reminisce about. Fortunately the rain slackened off in the afternoon, and she cheerfully predicted that it would end by evening.<p>

As she walked down the hallway she heard Sakura happily playing with something in their room. Curious, she walked closer and opened the door…and blinked. It was a cat.

A cat or rather a kitten with red fur was playing with Sakura, a wet towel lying nearby.

"Mom…?" Sakura asked. "Is something wrong?"

"The cat…?"

"Oh…this is Miu." The little girl said happily, picking up the kitten and holding it up. The kitten regarded the Servant with its golden eyes and mewled at her.

"Yes, I gathered that much." Caster said. She didn't really mind that Sakura had a pet of her own – pets were a good way to teach little children about responsibility – but she did want to know where it came from. It probably wasn't a familiar – she didn't sense anything from it – but it might have some sort of weird disease. "Where'd you find it?"

_Flashback Begins_

_Sakura walked down the street with an umbrella, heading back to Ryuudo Temple from school. She did have to keep up to her mundane responsibilities after all, including mundane education, even if it wasn't as fun as magical education._

_A pitiful mewling caught her attention, and she stopped and looked around her. She found the source next to a nearby alley's corner, specifically from inside a cardboard box thoroughly soaked by the rain. Curious she looked into the box._

"_Aww…" she said while kneeling and picking up the wet kitten with one hand. "…who would leave a cute kitty like you out in the rain?"_

_The kitten just mewled and snuggled closer to her, and Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she held the kitten close to her with one arm while she continued to walk home._

_Flashback Ends_

"And that's what happened." Sakura said happily.

"Well yes, who would leave a cat, no a kitten out in the rain?" Caster said in all seriousness. "That's…that's just wrong."

"Isn't it?" Sakura asked. "Can I keep her mom? Please…?"

"You have to take care of her by yourself." Caster replied. "That includes keeping her clean, feeding her, and cleaning up after her. So can you do it?"

"Yes!"

"Then it's okay." Caster assented, and Sakura squealed happily while hugging her new pet.

* * *

><p>"We're not heading out tonight?" Sola asked with some surprise as Kayneth looked out over the city from their suite windows.<p>

"The other Masters will probably have tracked us to our current location." The mage-lord responded. "They might be lying in wait to ambush us. If so, then we should force them to come to us."

"That's…that's rather foresighted of you." Sola said grudgingly, and then cursed inwardly as Kayneth all but began to preen at her praise. Fortunately his gloating was put to a halt as the telephone began to ring. Kayneth glanced in disgust at the modern convenience, and his fiancée sighed as she stood and walked over to answer the phone.

"Yes, what is it?" she asked. A few moments later she put the phone down and turned back to Kayneth. "It seems there's a fire on the lower floors, and the hotel administration has begun to evacuate the building."

"It's a trap." Lancer said as he materialized and Kayneth nodded in agreement.

"I think so too." He said, and then he turned to face Lancer. "Lancer, the enemy Servant will be attacking soon. This time don't let them escape."

Lancer bowed. "Should I move to intercept, my lord?" he asked.

"No…" Kayneth said. "…as I said earlier let them come to us." The magus smirked, and Sola inwardly rolled her eyes at the sight.

Yes, their entire floor was a magical fortress of the highest calibre. A twenty-four layer bounded field reinforced by three prana generators that could also be used to augment Kayneth's own powers, to say nothing of the wraiths and apparitions he'd summoned…and there was Lancer himself. All in all Kayneth had every right to be proud of his stronghold…but he didn't have to be so arrogant about it.

_All he needs is a moustache and a top hat…_

Sola's musings on the matter vanished as the sound of explosions filled the air, and the building around them began to collapse. "It can't be…!" Kayneth said as he struggled to stay on his feet and failing miserably. Sola would have been enamoured of the sight…if she wasn't also reeling from the building's on-going collapse. "They blew the foundations apart…? Cowards…!"

"My lord…! Lady Sola…!" Lancer shouted in concern, and an enraged Kayneth pulled out a test tube from which he swiftly poured out liquid metal.

"Fervour, mei sanguis…!"

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu Emiya lit a cigarette and calmly observed the hotel's destruction from a safe distance. "<em>I must be getting soft.<em>" He thought to himself.

It was true to an extent. In the past he'd just have blown up the building regardless of the civilian casualties, to say nothing of the collateral damage. But this time he'd set off a minor fire first, giving the authorities a chance to evacuate just about everyone from the building. Everyone except for the Lord El-Melloi and his allies, or at least he hoped.

There was a possibility after all that the Lord El-Melloi would see it as a trap and evacuate as well…but so far so good. Indeed, his familiars had detected a surge of prana in the upper floors indicating that Lancer's Master had just primed his defences for an assault that would never come…at least not in the way that he expected.

"Will this be enough though?" Kiritsugu wondered aloud. Magi – especially those from old families – could be tenacious to the point of stupidity after all. His musing cut off as the sound of gunfire emerged from his radio, which was currently set to Maiya's frequency.

"Maiya…damn it!" he said, spitting out his cigarette as he pulled out his Calico and began to run towards Maiya's position. As he checked his ammo and the weapon itself, Kiritsugu could only pray that he arrived in time before whoever the attacker was could finish Maiya off.

* * *

><p>AN

Seriously, who leaves cats/kittens out in the rain? That's just…wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 5

Maiya scowled in the shadows of the half-built mall, her assault rifle lying nearby with a Black Key right through it. "Kirei Kotomine…" she whispered in recognition of the priest prowling through the shadows with more Black Keys held between his fingers, and pulling out her handgun as she did so.

"I don't recall ever introducing myself to you." Kirei said softly. "But then again you already know who I am, don't you? After all, that's what's to be expected from the Magus Killer's assistant."

Maiya's eyes widened at Kirei's words, but the Executor just continued to prowl the shadows. "You and your master chose this place well." He continued. "It's an excellent location from where to spy on the Fuyuki Hyatt Hotel, and by extension on the Lord El-Melloi's location."

Kirei stopped, and Maiya held her breath. "Kiritsugu Emiya…" he whispered, and Maiya blinked at the sudden uncertainty in the priest's voice. "…I knew that he was ruthless, but I never thought he'd go so far as to use heavy explosives. That's so unlike a magus…but then again, was he ever a magus to begin with?"

Maiya swallowed convulsively as instinct warned her that something was about to happen…and in the next instant Kirei was moving towards her like a striking serpent. Cursing she leapt out from behind the pillar she was hiding, her handgun firing off round after round.

_He used my voice from earlier to pinpoint my location, the son of a bitch!_

It didn't do her any good of course. Each round shattered harmlessly against his Black Keys as he expertly moved his hands to intercept her shots. And then he was on her, and Maiya barely avoided getting her face carved to ribbons as Kirei swung one hand at her. His other hand followed-through, and Maiya's eyes widened in shock as the Black Keys he held carved through her handgun like a hot knife through butter. A kick to her midsection sent her flying to slam painfully against the other wall and the priest just as swiftly followed-through by throwing his Black Keys at her. Dazed as she was by the impact, it was all she could do to watch the conceptual weapons flying towards her.

_Is this the end?_

The Black Keys' forward movement was abruptly halted by a shimmering barrier that appeared barely a foot from her, and Kirei's face took on a surprised expression before a brief aura of light flickered around him and froze him in place. "What the…?" Maiya muttered before light flickered around her as well and she could only watch as a hooded Caster placed an iridescent dagger against Kirei's neck.

"Your skills are impressive priest." She said with evident respect and admiration. "But you'll find my magic is even more impressive."

Caster looked up at the sound of running feet, and within moments a panting Kiritsugu Emiya appeared. The Servant's smile widened slightly even as the Magus Killer levelled his gun at the frozen Kirei…and then froze in place. "Let's stop this uncivilized brawl if you please." She said, aware of the irony seeing as none of them apart from her could really move.

"Now then Kirei Kotomine…" she said while pressing a hand to his back. "…I have no desire to see the Magus Killer or his ally dead at this juncture, so I had to intervene. You may pass on this information to your own ally Tohsaka. But in return for letting you leave, pass on this message from me as well…"

Caster paused, dramatically pulling herself up and adopting a thinking pose…and then she leaned down again this time to Kirei's ear. "…I believe the Romans called it…yes…tell this to Tokiomi Tohsaka: Memento Mori."

With a poisonous smile, Caster patted the priest on the back and forcibly teleported him to the Tohsaka Estate. "Your tactics are rather unorthodox Kiritsugu Emiya." She complimented the Magus Killer even as she removed the paralysis spell with a wave of her hand. "But they are effective. I will have to watch my back."

* * *

><p>"Those crows are creeping me out." One of the rescue workers commented, eyeing the black birds perched near the ruins distastefully.<p>

"They smell blood." One of his co-workers said. "Given the scale of…this, it's not really surprising."

"It's still creepy man."

The terrorist attack during the previous night had completely levelled the building, and while a small fire prior to the attack had led to most of the people inside to be evacuated in time, many of the staff hadn't been so lucky. The same could also be said of a pair of VIPs from the upper floors, as no record had been made of them having evacuated the building.

VIPs being what they were of course, and given humanitarian concerns, search and rescue had continued despite the slim chances of anyone in the building having survived. Still, a slim chance was better than none, so they kept on searching regardless.

"What the hell is that?" a man nearby said as a pile of rubble fell apart, and everyone else gathered at his position…and stared.

It was…a silver ball of shiny metal of some kind. It was completely polished, reflecting the ruination around it perfectly. It was also apparently undamaged, which was perplexing considering the scale of the destruction.

Just as perplexing was why something like that was in the hotel in the first place.

"Is that silver?" one man asked.

"No…" the team leader said while reaching out with a hand. "…at least I don't think so. I think its mercury…" His voice trailed off as his eyes went blank, and the same went for the men around him.

"_We have to move this out of here._" The team leader said tonelessly.

"_I'll get the truck._" Another man said, and around them the crows cawed loudly and took to the air…and in her sanctum a witch smiled. Apparently the Lord El-Melloi was more resourceful than she expected.

* * *

><p>Waver Velvet sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror, arranging his clothes as he did so. If it weren't for the command spells engraved onto his hand, and the Japanese people walking by on the sidewalk outside it would be so easy for him to dismiss the events of two nights ago as a dream.<p>

_If only it had been a dream._

Waver was by no means a fool. A coward perhaps, but he was no fool. He knew that magi were treacherous and self-serving, and more than willing to kill and stab each other in the back in pursuit of their goals. For all the academic atmosphere of the Clock Tower and their society, that was simply the harsh truth of their world.

But none of that compared to the battle along the river. Waver had never been to a battle between magi before, but he strongly doubted that apart from the strongest magi – such as Vice-Director Barthomeloi and her personal battalion – and the top ten ancestors no one could hope to match the sheer presence of the Heroic Spirits gathered during the previous night.

"_The King of Knights, the Knight of Fianna, a king in gold and a magus from the Age of the Gods…_" he thought glumly as he headed down for breakfast. "_…and there's Rider too, the King of Conquerors…why did I ever consider involving myself in this?_"

_A coward like you who taunts from the shadows has no right to be my Master! Only one with the courage to risk the flames of war by my side has that right!_

Waver paused as he remembered Rider's denouncement of the Lord El-Melloi. Unbidden satisfaction welled-up inside of him at the memory of those words, and despite the residue of fear at the thought of facing his old master Waver felt somewhat stronger than before.

_He'd been found worthy. Not just by anybody, but by Alexander the Great himself. The Lord of War who had conquered the ancient world had acknowledged him. What was the Lord El-Melloi or even the Mages Association's recognition compared to that?_

Waver shook his head and continued to the dining room, wondering about this change of things. His musings broke off as he heard Rider's thunderous laughter echoing from inside the living room.

_Oh no…_

The young magus immediately rushed to the living room, and stopped to gape at the sight of Rider admiring himself as he struck a variety of poses while wearing a brand-new, white shirt with a map of the world printed on it. Thankfully there was no sign of either of the elderly couple around so there was no need for some memory alteration but…

"What are you doing Rider?" he demanded, and the puzzled Servant glanced at him.

"Waver…" the Servant said. "…if you're looking for the old man and his wife they just went out…"

"That's not the point!" Waver snapped and forgetting he was practically shouting down a king. "And more importantly where did you get that shirt?"

"...oh this…?" Rider said dismissively. "I decided to try out that 'mail order thing'…quite convenient."

"How'd you…"

Rider tossed him his wallet, and Waver paled as he checked his funds…and relaxed with a sigh. Fortunately it seemed that Rider hadn't spent too much of their meagre funds, which was something to be thankful for at least. "You should relax a bit boy…" Rider said while curiously fiddling around with a pair of pants. "…there's more to life than money you know."

"...I know that!" Waver retorted. "Anyway didn't I tell you to…?"

Waver trailed off as Rider looked at him coolly. The young magus shivered as he recalled who he was talking to…and then he blinked as Rider laughed approvingly at him. "So you do have a spine." He commented while putting on his pants before walking over to clap him hard on the back. "I'll make a man out of you yet."

"What…?"

"You didn't break eye contact even when I looked sharply at you." Rider explained. "You don't realize it yet, but you've got more courage than you realize yet my friend."

Waver blinked, and then looked away. "About two nights ago…"

"What about it?"

"Well you said I was willing to risk battle by your side…more or less…" Waver fumbled while Rider crossed his arms and looked kindly down at him. "…but I only agreed to come along because it was more dangerous to be left alone and…"

"Yes, that's all true." Rider confirmed.

"...then…"

"Think of it this way boy…" Rider said while placing a friendly arm around Waver's shoulders. "…while it certainly would have been dangerous, there was also a chance that the enemy would be focused on Lancer and Sabre's fight, to say nothing of my arrival. If that were the case, then wouldn't have been safer for you to have stayed behind?"

"Well yes, and I did think of that but…"

"But you came with me regardless." Rider said with a nod. "Why is that?"

"...I don't know." Waver said with genuine puzzlement in his voice. "It…it just came naturally to me…"

"And there you go." Rider said with a reassuring pat on the back and nearly sending Waver tumbling to the ground. If you ever doubt yourself then think about it."

"...I don't understand."

Rider just smiled at him. "You will eventually…" he said cryptically before glancing at a nearby clock. "…pull yourself together boy, Glen and Martha said they'd meet us at a restaurant downtown."

"Huh…?"

* * *

><p>"Memento Mori…" Tokiomi Tohsaka muttered while pacing in his private chambers. "…what did she mean by that?"<p>

"The literal meaning is to remember that one is mortal if I remember correctly…" Kirei said. "…that could be a clue as to her identity…a Roman heroine perhaps?"

"Unlikely…" Tokiomi said dismissively. "…Servants are given general knowledge of the world and era they are summoned in. Memento Mori isn't that obscure."

"Then should we deal with Caster's threat?" Kirei asked.

Tokiomi paused and thought it over. Caster certainly was a tempting target. Over the past year she'd gathered a lot of prana from both the ley-lines and the city's citizens – though she'd stopped drawing from the latter after the other Servants had been summoned so as to avoid drawing attention to herself – and had fortified her stronghold at Ryuudo Temple. She'd also seen through his plan to make it appear that Assassin had fallen, had confirmed that same fact to the Einzbern, and now she'd made a threat against him. By all rights he should move against her.

_And that was precisely the point._

"No…" Tokiomi said. "…it's a trap. The way I see it it's almost like she's deliberately provoking us into a rash attack against her." The magus paused and looked around as if to ensure that the King of Heroes wasn't listening in. "As a Servant she might not measure up to Archer, but tactics can tip the balance if used properly. History proves that much."

"I see." Kirei said with a bow and Tokiomi sighed before sitting down on a nearby chair.

"We'll allow Emiya to deal with the Lord El-Melloi on his own, and then we'll focus on Rider and his Master." Tokiomi said before giving a smirk. "The King of Conquerors is truly a formidable foe, but at the end of the day he was just a mundane Human, even if he did live towards the end of the Age of the Gods. We'll let Archer pin him down while we eliminate his Master."

Kirei said nothing and simply bowed again, and Tokiomi dismissed him after a moment.

"_He may have been a mundane Human in life…_" Kirei silently thought. "_…but he is a Servant now. And in life he studied under the great philosophers of Classical Greece, and explored the lore of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Indian sages. Magic – especially of the modern era – may not be enough._"

* * *

><p>Caster mused over the schematics she'd gathered regarding the Holy Grail. Figuratively taking it apart had been unsurprisingly easy – despite being impressively well-designed and built for the modern era it was still nothing compared to devices of similar scale that were designed and built during the Age of the Gods – but the core of the system still remained beyond her.<p>

She knew that it tapped the ley-lines for fifty years to gather the prana needed to support the summoning of the Servants, and that an automated function within the core selected the Masters. Four Masters were random, with the remaining three being chosen from among the three families which oversaw the Grail's creation or their affiliates.

And it seemed that by affiliation her daughter was Matou's Master. Ugh…still if she could get rid of that walking corpse lurking in their house they were a valid option for when the war was won and she could finally settle down. The monks were hospitable and all, but they couldn't stay in the temple forever (even if she did intend to keep her prana reserves there).

But that was a matter for the future. What bothered her were the defences of the core. The bounded field protecting it was simple enough to remove…if she wanted to turn the entire city into dust that is. And all her thoughts to find a way around it were going nowhere.

"Not bad…" she grudgingly admitted as yet another line of thought came to a dead end. "…not bad at all you damn bastards."

Sighing she dismissed the glowing, ethereal schematics with a wave of a hand. It seemed that she had no choice but to play by the rules as it were. She didn't like it. She didn't trust the Grail, as something about it nagged at the back of her mind. She knew that the only way for it to be able to grant wishes was for the sacrifice of six or five (in the case of a wish being within the limitations of the world) Servants and using the energy of their return to the Root to perform a miracle.

_But what if all seven Servants were sacrificed?_

It was a disturbing thought. She'd been thinking about the matter for months now, and she still had no clue as to what would be the result should all Servants be fed into the Grail. It was annoying, especially the sensation that the answer was staring at her in the face.

* * *

><p>Sakura leaned against a tree, and weighed the risks of what she planned to do in her head. Her appearance had changed greatly, whether it was her face or her body, to say nothing of the colour of her hair. Her voice however had not, and magic was not an option.<p>

"_Well…_" she thought to herself. "_…I can use lightning if things go wrong. They shouldn't be expecting that, especially not without a spoken spell._"

Taking a deep breath, she walked out from behind her tree, and took a course parallel to where her sister was playing with her mother…and eventually ended up having the ball land at her feet.

_Just as planned._

Rin Tohsaka ran up, and paused at the sight of the strangely-coloured girl looking warily at her. The girl was younger than her, but she looked…familiar. She couldn't place it, but it almost seemed as though she knew her. The girl bent down and picked up the ball, and offered it to her. "Is this yours?" she asked nervously.

"Yes…" Rin said and taking the ball before tilting her head. The voice was…strange, almost as though she knew it. But she just couldn't place it. "…what's your name?"

"Ginevra…" Sakura said craftily, drawing on her mother's teachings about deception and on the legends that her status as a Master granted as privileged information. "…my name's Ginevra du Lac. What's your name?"

"I'm Rin, Rin Tohsaka." Rin returned with a smile. The girl was a foreigner it seemed, and seeing as Rin wasn't exactly pure Japanese herself – her blue eyes were evidence of that – that was probably the source of the nagging familiarity. The girl did have blue eyes too after all.

_What about her voice?_

She was a foreigner, and since she was partly-Finnish Rin assumed that it was just coincidence. "Rin…" Aoi Tohsaka called out as she approached. "…is something wrong?"

"No…" she said, turning away from her new friend to face her mother…and missing the sight of Ginevra's eyes hardening slightly. "…I just made a new friend that's all."

Sakura bowed, and pushed down the welling of resentment and hatred while her face was obscured. "Hello there…" she said. "…my name's Ginevra du Lac, pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you too…" Aoi returned pleasantly, though like her daughter she too felt uneasy about this girl. And like Rin she too couldn't place an answer as to why. "…are you here on vacation Ginevra?"

Sakura nodded. "My mom's here for work." She replied.

_At the heart of each of the greatest lies is a grain of truth._

"Would you like to play with us?" Rin asked, and Sakura nodded.

"Okay, but I have to meet my mom later so…"

"It's alright…" Rin said. "…we have some time until then." Sakura smiled at her, and Rin smiled back. Aoi smiled too, albeit a little sadly, remembering how Rin and Sakura used to play together…and never realizing how ironic her thoughts were.

* * *

><p>AN

Yes, I know that Archer would rip through Caster and her defences with ease…but Caster knows this. Hence her strategy is to literally make it all look like some sort of trap by deliberately provoking him and Kirei. Tokiomi being Tokiomi, he doesn't realize that he's dancing in the palm of Caster's hand by this point.

Rin and Sakura are part Finnish, given that they do have a blood link to the Edelfelt via one of the Edelfelt sisters from the Third Holy Grail War. As for Sakura no longer being recognizable to Aoi and Rin…well I did say she looked like a mini-Medea with Tokiomi's eyes (softer of course but close enough).

Ginevra du Lac…it's obviously based on Arthurian myth, with Ginevra being a related word to Guinevere, and the latter is an obvious reference to Lancelot of the Lake. Sakura came up with it after using Master's privileges (which Medea would undoubtedly make sure she possesses) to view Sabre's legend.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 6

"My brother is such an ass." Yui Shikigami complained as she and Sakura Colchis walked up the stairs to Ryuudo Temple. "I caught him sneaking around with my dad's magazines the other day."

"How old is your brother?" Sakura returned the question.

"He's ten." Yui returned sourly, and Sakura thought for a moment.

"Please tell they weren't that kind of magazines."

"They were…"

"That's gross!" Sakura exploded. "Your brother's not just an ass, he's a pervert!"

"…yeah well I told my mom and she gave him a good old-fashioned talking to." Yui said with a grin as they passed the temple threshold. Sakura paused to pick up Miu, the red-furred kitten mewling out a welcome as her mistress held her in her arms. "Is that your cat?"

"This is Miu." Sakura said cheerfully, and Yui giggled before petting the small cat.

"It's a girl then…?"

"Obviously…"

The two elementary students entered the temple, and after greeting the monks proceeded to the guest quarters. "Sakura…" Caster said after the girl had introduced her friend to her mother. "…I need to talk to you for a moment."

"Okay…" Sakura said and passing Miu onto Yui before getting up to follow her mother. "…keep an eye on her please."

The other girl gave a nod, and Sakura ran to where her mother was waiting. Even as she closed the door she felt the bounded field fall into place around them. "What's wrong mom?" she asked.

"I'm sure that you remember that the Lord El-Melloi has survived Emiya's assassination attempt." Caster began. "And now it seems that Emiya has decided to allow his quarry to find him at Castle von Einzbern. By taking advantage of the Lord El-Melloi's arrogance, Emiya intends to draw him in and engage him on his own terms."

"It's a trap." Sakura said, and Medea nodded.

"Indeed it is…" she concurred. "…and even if the Lord El-Melloi knows this, he probably will go regardless. That walking monument to arrogance probably thinks that in a one-on-one fight without Servants – which Emiya will probably allow to happen just to further entrap the Lord El-Melloi – he's guaranteed to win."

"Is he?"

"Unfortunately…yes…" Caster grudgingly admitted. "…Emiya's mysteries don't appear to have nearly as much conceptual weight as those used by the Lord El-Melloi based on my observations. However Emiya isn't really a proper magus…at least not by modern standards. His unorthodox methods are very effective."

"Will we interfere?"

"No…" Caster said. "…it's probably best to let things take their course. Emiya's usefulness as a pawn will be defined by this battle. If he slays the Lord El-Melloi then Tokiomi will focus on him. In that case I predict a higher than seventy percent chance of mutual annihilation, a twenty percent chance of Sabre defeating Archer, and a ten percent chance of Archer defeating Sabre…all based on current observations of course."

"But if he doesn't?"

"If he defeats without killing the Lord El-Melloi, then he'll focus on the man's wife who is probably – though I cannot confirm it – a backup Master for their faction. Depending on how cognizant the Lord El-Melloi is we'll either continue playing the Masters against each other or we'll form an alliance with either Rider or Lancer."

"I see…but what if Emiya loses?"

"It is impossible for Emiya to lose." Caster said firmly. "There is absolutely no chance for an inflexible idiot like the Lord El-Melloi to win against an opponent as adaptable as Emiya." Caster briefly considered her predictions once more before smiling at Sakura. "Come to think of it I forgot to ask you yesterday: did you place a tracking spell on your sister and her mother?"

"Of course...!"

"That's a good girl." Caster said with an affectionate hand on Sakura's head. Tilting her head to a surprising thought, she asked "Aren't you worried that I'd kill them?"

"You said hostages are never to be killed." Sakura pointed out. "You said that defeats the whole purpose of taking hostages and it's bad for one's reputation."

Caster laughed with approval and kissed Sakura's forehead. "Go back to your friend my dear." She said. "I'll bring the two of you something to eat in a while."

"Yes mom."

* * *

><p>The Moon shone down over the Einzbern forest that night, sending silver lances and beams through the canopy which together with a slight fog gave the entire area something of a mysterious air. Further added to that were the two figures that fought with the weapons and elegance of a forgotten age: a dark-haired man in the attire of old Ireland, the golden spear in his hand clashing against a nigh-invisible blade in the hands of silver-armoured and blue-clothed blonde woman with English features.<p>

Despite the fury of their expressions and battle cries, and the deadly intent behind their weapons, those who had tasted and truly known the battlefield would quickly perceive the utter lack of hatred in the battle. Their fury was not born out of hatred for their enemy, but out of respect for those of equal skill and standing, with death the ultimate measure of skill.

Gae Buidhe swept towards Sabre's feet, but the blonde swordswoman jumped over it and charged towards Lancer, taking advantage of Gae Buidhe's length. Lancer responded by taking a hand off of the golden lance and pulled Gae Dearg from its scabbard behind him, and stabbed it towards Sabre's face. The blonde pulled back, aborting her attack and allowing Lancer to reform his stance.

Lancer then charged, stabbing Gae Buidhe at Sabre's chest. The blonde parried it to the side and charged again. Again Gae Dearg stabbed at her face but this time Sabre took the opportunity to kick Lancer in the torso as she avoided what should have been a death blow. Grunting from Sabre's armoured boot connecting with his body, Lancer hurled Gae Buidhe like a javelin.

Sabre riposted only for Lancer to avoid her attack and get behind her, Gae Dearg cutting through the air towards her neck. Cursing, Sabre dove and rolled forward. Lancer threw Gae Dearg as a javelin, and this time cut Sabre across an arm even as he too dove and picked up Gae Buidhe. The battle then paused, as the two knights regarded each across their battlefield while a concerned Irisviel von Einzbern looked on.

"Aren't you going to have you arm tended?" Lancer asked.

"There's no need." Sabre said. "The cut is not deep, although I mean no offense to your throwing skills Lancer."

"No offence was taken, I assure you Sabre." He said before glancing in the direction of Castel von Einzbern. "However you must realize that by now my Master will be going to deal with your ally."

"I know…" Sabre responded calmly. "…however Kiritsugu can take care of himself."

"You don't sound particularly concerned about him."

"Victory without honour is meaningless." Sabre replied while briefly closing her eyes. It was an opportunity, but Lancer was a knight. He wouldn't take advantage of it. "Although you have to admit that undermining is a valid siege tactic…"

"True…" Lancer conceded while relaxing slightly. "…at any rate have your arm attended to Sabre. I insist…no offense intended of course."

"…none taken…" Sabre said with a slight smile and a bow even as Irisviel ran forward. "…my thanks Lancer."

Lancer just smiled as he waited for his opponent to finish preparations for their next round.

* * *

><p>"That's a very impressive mystic code…" Caster commented while watching the Lord El-Melloi break into Castle von Einzbern. She sat against the wall of her shared room, Sakura sitting in her lap and leaning against her as they both watched through her viewing sphere. "…although I could think of something better suited for the task other than liquid metal."<p>

"Such as…?" Sakura asked as explosions ripped across the entrance hall of the castle.

"I'm not sure yet…" Caster admitted. "…however in theory by combining four of the five metaphysical elements I should be able to create something with similar but at the same time superior properties to liquid metal."

Mother and daughter continued to watch as the Lord El-Melloi used Volumen Hydragyrum to find Kiritsugu Emiya, and literally cutting his way through the ceiling to get at him. Caster smiled wanly at the sight of Kiritsugu vainly empting an entire clip against Volumen Hydragyrum…and then her mouth fell open as Kiritsugu blurred past and away from the Lord El-Melloi.

_Time magic…he used time magic without rituals! Not even I can do that without additional equipment!_

"Mom what's a reality marble?" Sakura asked.

"It's a mental image superimposed over the real world." Caster replied while forcing herself to focus on reality. "I see…it's just as the Lord El-Melloi surmised. He managed to circumvent the need for a ritual to perform time magic by using his body as a pseudo-reality marble wherein he speeds up or slows down time as needed."

"But won't the world make him…um…pay the…um…debt…? Time lag…?"

Caster nodded in agreement and pointed out Kiritsugu hiding in an alcove and breathing hard as his body paid the price Gaea demanded as his and her senses of time reconciled. "There it goes…" she said. "…the greater the rate time is slowed down or sped up, the more pain he probably endures. The spell's duration is probably a factor too."

* * *

><p>The Contender fired and sending the .30-30 round ripping through the air to punch through Volumen Hydragyrum and through a shocked Kayneth's left shoulder. "Scalp…!" he spat as he glared at Kiritsugu.<p>

Silvery tentacles lanced towards him, but the Magus Killer had by this point gotten the measure of the mystic code. Without even using time magic he leapt over and past the writhing streams of metal to grab his discarded Calico. Levelling it at Kayneth once more, he opened fire to no effect – apparently despite his injuries Volumen Hydragyrum's defence and reaction speed remained unaffected. Deciding to pull back for another chance, Kiritsugu used the Calico to merely supress his enemy while he retreated towards and down another corridor.

"He broke through Volumen Hydragyrum's automated defence…?" Kayneth breathed while clutching his injury and the mystic code reformed into a blob of mercury beside him. "No…I was careless. I just have to be faster and more careful in the future."

Growling he resumed the pursuit, the mystic code at his side responding to his emotions and lashing out to ravage the corridor. "Trash…!" he spat. "He's a disgrace to magi everywhere! Even the Caster…even if she's just a Servant…at least she broke my mystery properly! How dare he spill my blood? That piece of trash…he'll pay!"

Meanwhile Kiritsugu continued to run deeper into the mansion, pausing briefly only to reload his weapon. "_That attack won't work a second time._" He thought to himself while he loaded an Origin Bullet into the Thompson. "_He'll be aware of the Thompson's power, and he'll counter appropriately. All I need to do now is to goad him into throwing everything he's got into defence._"

Kiritsugu smiled coldly as he continued to retreat. The castle was riddled with traps, and he'd managed to arm them all mere moments before Kayneth had found him. He was under no illusion that the traps would even hurt the mage-lord, but the mundane nature of his traps would serve to goad Kayneth into higher states of rage…and therefore recklessness.

"_That's all I need – one full power attack or defence._" He thought as he continued to run."_I'll finish him in one blow._"

Explosions ripped through the castle behind him, and eventually the power itself went out. He didn't panic; Kiritsugu simply reinforced his eyes before deliberately allowing himself to be trapped in a dead end. It was time to finish this.

* * *

><p>"That man has more issues than just sheer hubris." Caster said with evident disapproval as they watched the Lord El-Melloi tear through the castle in pursuit of Kiritsugu. "He needs some professional help…I believe the modern Humans call it anger management."<p>

Sakura looked quizzically at her. "What's that?"

"Apparently modern Humans have people who are visited so as to be helped in working out their issues. Usually anger issues, as evidenced by the occupation's name." Caster explained in a sceptical voice.

"There's actually a job like that? How bizarre…!" she exclaimed even as the Lord El-Melloi finally managed to corner his prey. Mother and daughter watched as the Lord El-Melloi spouted a tirade against Kiritsugu, about his plans to heal Kiritsugu just to torture him to despair and insanity. Caster's eyebrows just rose higher and higher with every word, and she embraced Sakura comfortingly as the little girl shrank back from the sheer malice dripping from the Lord El-Melloi's every word. The relief was palpable when Kiritsugu finally interrupted the man with a full-auto burst from his Calico.

"The defence is tighter than before." Caster observed, watching as Volumen Hydragyrum formed a thick cluster of twisted, super-dense, mercury cables which harmlessly soaked up Kiritsugu's fire. At the same time her eyes narrowed.

_He's backed into a corner. What is he planning?_

The answer came with Kiritsugu's Thompson, the man already levelling it at the Lord El-Melloi even before the Calico's clip ran dry. The gun barked, and the Origin Bullet streaked towards the Lord El-Melloi who shrilly mocked Kiritsugu's perceived desperation. The mercury parted and swallowed up the bullet…and then exploded in a shower of liquid metal.

For the second time that night Caster's mouth fell open, and this time her eyes went wide in shock. _This was not foreseen._

Sakura however focused on the Lord El-Melloi who writhed and tore at himself in agony before explosively vomiting blood. The man gasped, bending back like a bow with blow streaming from his nostrils and down from his mouth, and then he collapsed forwards with a splash into a pool of mercury and his own blood.

"Mom…" Sakura breathed while clutching her mother in terror. She didn't know how, but she just knew that something that shouldn't have happened had happened. "...I'm scared."

Caster reflexively tightened her grip around her daughter while her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Anti-magus weaponry…" she whispered in a dangerous tone of voice. "…what a dangerous bastard. Kiritsugu Emiya…perhaps you are too dangerous to be kept as a pawn…"

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu opened fire with his Calico, but it was already too late. The bullets just bounced off of a rapidly-revolving Gae Buidhe, and Lancer glared back at Kiritsugu. "You realize that I can easily skewer you from here don't you?" he snarled.<p>

"Yes I do." Kiritsugu answered coldly while priming a command spell just in case.

Lancer narrowed his eyes in response, and sheathed Gae Dearg behind him. Kiritsugu held his ground while Lancer used one arm to hoist his defeated Master over a shoulder, Gae Buidhe held out defensively before him. "I will not allow you to kill my Master." The Knight of the Lance said. "And if you hold your ground, I shall not harm you either. But know this: the only reason you still live is due solely to the fact that it would dishonour the King of Knights to slay you where you stand."

Kiritsugu didn't move or say anything as Lancer cautiously turned away and jumped out of a nearby window. After a moment the Magus Killer walked over to the window and looked out over the Einzbern Forest. By this point both Iri and Sabre would be returning to the castle. The man pulled out a cigarette and lit it, letting the tobacco fumes tug at his stress and weariness.

Looking up at the Moon, the Magus Killer thought back to his past encounter with the Caster. "Did I play into your hands Caster?" he muttered. "I've no doubt that you were watching…or did I just exceed your expectations?"

Leaving the cigarette in his mouth Kiritsugu walked slowly to meet his wife and Servant. Considering the size of Castle von Einzbern and his slow pace he arrived in the Entrance Hall's ruins as the two blondes ran into the castle. "Darling…!" Iri shouted as she ran to embrace him. Kiritsugu just smiled before giving a nod in greeting at Sabre, who returned it with a slight bow. "Are you hurt?" the homunculus asked.

"No…" Kiritsugu replied. "…I'm a bit winded, but I'm not hurt."

Irisviel sighed with relief, but Sabre quickly focused on the matter at hand. "What of Lancer's Master?" she asked and Kiritsugu gave a weak smile.

"He's alive…" he replied. "…if you call _that _being alive that is."

"Kiri…" Irisviel said with concern evident in her voice. "…you used an Origin Bullet…" The homunculus broke off and covered her mouth as she realized something but Kiritsugu just chuckled and patted her on the back.

"It's alright…" he said. "…in any case I've no doubt that Caster was watching the battle earlier. Saying the name of my conceptual weapon won't really change anything."

"...I see…"

"Lancer isn't defeated yet though." Kiritsugu continued. "Either he's got high prana reserves or more likely the Lord El-Melloi's companion is actually a second Master for Lancer."

"Is that even possible?" Sabre asked.

"If it's possible for the founding families to manipulate the Grail, then why not others?" he countered. "The Lord El-Melloi was a prodigy. I've no doubt that while he was unaware of…_that_, he probably understood enough about the Grail to manipulate it to a certain degree. It would also help explain why my familiars discovered that the Lord El-Melloi has such high prana reserves. Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri is Lancer's energy source, not the Lord El-Melloi."

"She's your next target then?" Sabre said with distaste. Kiritsugu ignored it, having been used to the more honourable Servant's disgust for his methodology. "Is it even wise to say this considering the recent battle? You did say that the Caster is watching. Even if the battle has ended, she might still be watching to draw what conclusions she can from the aftermath?"

"If Caster wanted to intervene she'd have done so already." Kiritsugu countered. "As to your first question, yes Ms Sola is my new target. Is there a problem?"

"Must I answer that question?" Sabre snapped, and Irisviel could only sigh as the old disagreement between the two resurfaced.

"You already know that I walk the path of least bloodshed." Kiritsugu said wearily. "One life to save ten, a hundred to save a thousand, a hundred thousand to save a million…"

"And I suppose that excuses…"

"I make no excuses for anything." Kiritsugu coldly interrupted. "I will bear the weight of all my sins if I have to…but while I still live and breathe, I will do what I must to save as many people as possible."

Sabre just looked away with an expression of disgust. "Before you condemn the way I do things…" Kiritsugu said softly while walking away. "…think about this: if I were to take an honourable route as you would call it, how many more lives would have been lost?"

"Bastard…!" she spat, and would have probably have turned on Kiritsugu right then and there had Irisviel not been there.

"Stop it the two of you!" she shouted, and the two looked sharply at her. After a moment, the two relaxed slightly, somewhat cowed by the indignation in her crimson eyes. "I understand that the two of you have some disagreements, and there are things that either of you won't compromise on, but this arguing is getting us nowhere. We're supposed to be a team. At this rate we'll just turn on each other well before other Masters do."

After a moment Kiritsugu sighed. "Alright I understand…" he said and turning to Sabre. "…as per our original arrangement you stay with Irisviel. That way we won't be stepping on each other's toes."

Irisviel sighed and Sabre looked mutinous, but she gave an assenting nod. Kiritsugu nodded back. "I'll go contact Maiya and send out familiars to see if we can find the El-Melloi faction's hideout." He said. "But for now at least the fighting is over."

"Sabre…" Irisviel spoke up as Kiritsugu walked away. "…are you alright?"

"I'm fine." The blonde replied with a weak smile. "I will go and check on the castle's defences." With a bow the blonde left, Irisviel sighing as she was left on her own in the ruins.

* * *

><p>AN

Don't try and read too much into Caster's plans. She's a Manipulative Bastard and a Trickster after all, so everything's up in the air (or rather I refuse to spoil) as to her designs. The Caster is the weakest among the Servants in terms of physical strength (even when compared to the Assassin) so you'll have to forgive her if she's being…well, her.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 7

The Assassins glowered up at the stairs of Ryuudo Temple, considering the best way of fulfilling their Master's given task of uncovering the identity of Caster's Master. A frontal assault would probably be suicide; according to the dictates of their Master magical laws forbade any magical defences from closing off the entrance, but the Assassins were all too aware that there was more than one way of preventing entry beyond the obvious.

A moment later and the Assassins vanished into wisps of shadow – presence concealment. They raced up the slopes of the mountain, past and over trees and rocks, slipping through and around the flowing tendrils of magic meant to ensnare interlopers. As one, the Assassins smiled behind their masks. The Caster would be in for a surprise.

Caster patted the sleeping Sakura on her head, the slumbering girl murmuring unintelligibly at the touch before curling up under her blanket. The Servant smiled before priming the bounded fields around the temple complex proper. The enemy had somehow managed to avoid getting weakened by the mountain's own bounded field, but it seemed that they'd underestimated how magic worked.

_Ignorant fools…_

Just because they could avoid either detection or being affected it didn't mean that their mere presence wouldn't disturb the delicate play of magical energies. She'd make them realize the price of their arrogant assumptions.

Meanwhile the Assassin reached the temple threshold and nimbly leapt over the intervening wall…only to pause warily. Instinct born of experience warned them that the apparent silence and tranquillity over the temple grounds were illusive. Such sentiments would be proven correct when mere moments later skeletal figures armed with crude blades stalked out of the shadows and attacked them.

Silent as they always were, the Assassins scattered as they pressed their advantage. Caster's Dragon Tooth Warriors had precision and numbers, but their skill and endurance were lacking. The Assassins easily hammered their way through them as they surrounded and approached the temple complex, merely slowed down by the large numbers of familiars facing them.

The female Assassin came to a halt as she approached the guest quarters, facing down none other than Caster herself. "Welcome…" Caster said with a poisoned smile.

The female Assassin paused, tensed, and then threw several poisoned daggers at the magus. Caster lazily blocked with her shield, and then fired off several beams that the female Assassin dodged with considerable effort.

"…your skills are impressive." Caster said while slowly walking forward, more Dragon Tooth Warriors jumping down from the roof to flank her. "Your agility in particular is quite commendable. To be used as a voyeur by your Master…it is such a waste…"

"We are merely tools…" the female Assassin replied emotionlessly. "…tools have no need to feel."

Caster raised an eyebrow as more Assassins arrived. They tensed as one and charged, with Caster's own familiars meeting them with a charge of their own. Three Assassins broke through and charged at Caster…and were reduced to mincemeat as the magus fired off a deadly whirlwind that destroyed everything in front of her. A fourth and a fifth broke through; the former slashed at Caster from the rear and forcing her to take flight to escape.

Snarling she fired off a bolt of lightning which the Assassin nimbly dodged. The fifth Assassin stepped foot on the temple proper…and froze as magic paralyzed him in an instant. In the next instant screams ripped across the air, the other Assassins watching with horror as lightning coursed over one of their own with enough power to burn cloth to ash and to boil flesh and blood off of the bone.

After several moments it was over…and a blackened and smoking skeleton toppled backwards off of the temple to collapse into dust the instant it struck the ground. "Did you really think the temple was defenceless, you cowardly worms?" Caster taunted from on high, and the Assassins ground their teeth before breaking and turning to run. "Cowards…"

And then she smiled. Most of the Assassins left the same way they'd arrived, leaping over the temple walls to escape, but three attempted to leave via the temple gate, no doubt thinking that whatever defence she'd placed there would only be focused on anything attempting to enter and not on anything trying to leave.

_It was their funeral._

There was flash of light and two Assassins' heads were sent flying as their corpses tumbled to the ground. The third Assassin tried to jump back but was too slow, Berserker's halberd punching through his torso to emerge dripping from his back. With an air of weariness the Chinese warrior hefted the dying and gurgling Servant to throw its broken body out of the temple gates and down the stairs.

Caster flew over and Berserker raised his eyes to meet hers. After a moment Caster smirked and raised her hand, her command spells flashing briefly before Berserker disdainfully turned away and returned to astral form.

Still smiling Caster flew over back to the guest quarters and was met by a sleepy Sakura who rubbed her eyes as she looked out of the open exterior doors. "Mom…?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

"...Hmm…? No, nothing's wrong my dear." She said while pulling off her cloak and urging Sakura back to bed. "Mommy just had to throw out the garbage. Now back to bed, you have school tomorrow."

"Okay…"

As she tucked her daughter back into bed, the gears turned in Caster's head. The recent incursion into her territory had been repulsed, but Tohsaka and his allies now knew that Ryuudo Temple was also Berserker's hideout. While she doubted that they would even think that she was his Master, they would probably conclude that she was allied with his supposed Master.

_Perhaps I should prepare a secondary refuge just in case…_

* * *

><p>Kayneth's eyes flashed open as he awoke, his last conscious memory being of excruciating pain tearing through his flesh as a result of Emiya's attack. But why…he remembered succeeding in blocking that disgrace of magus' attack, but afterwards…<p>

"A dream…?" Kayneth whispered, recalling vague memories of people, voices, and events. "No, that was Diarmuid's legend. My Servant's memories…"

Struggling to move, Kayneth grimaced as agony briefly flashed through his body. "Where am I?" he demanded, noticing that he was bound tightly to a gurney.

"You're awake." Sola observed as she entered the room.

"Sola…!" Kayneth ground out through a haze of pain. "What is this?"

"You don't remember?" Sola asked as she placed a basin of water on a nearby bed and soaked a towel in the liquid.

"I…" Kayneth essayed, struggling to remember. "…I was shot. I defended myself using Volumen Hydragyrum but…what happened after that?"

"It would seem that your magic circuits have been burned out." Sola said, washing Kayneth's arm with the wet towel, but unseen to Kayneth there was a malicious glint in the woman's eyes. "It's a miracle that you didn't die then and there."

Agony, shame, and grief filled the stricken man's mind, Kayneth grinding his teeth as tears ran from his eyes in grief over the loss of his magic. For a magus of a distinguished bloodline that went back centuries, there were few things that could be considered more painful to lose. "I managed to restore your organs to functionality, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for your magic circuits." Sola continued. "You'll never be able to perform magic ever again."

"I…I…"

"Don't cry Kayneth." Sola said with a smile, and had Kayneth's mind not been clouded at that point he'd have noticed the unusual gleam in the woman's eyes even as she wiped the tears from his face. "It's too soon to give up. We haven't lost yet."

"...Sola…"

"If the Holy Grail truly has the power to grant wishes…" Sola proclaimed solemnly. "…then restoring what you've lost should be an easy matter. You only need to win, and everything will be back to how it was. That's why Kayneth: give me your command spells. I'll become Lancer's Master, and bring you the Holy Grail."

Kayneth's eyes widened in horror at Sola's words; apart from the dangers of involving her directly in the Holy Grail War, it had not escaped his attention that she was clearly infatuated with Lancer. It could not be allowed. He would not allow it. "...n-no…!"

"You don't believe in me? You don't believe in the woman who would marry into the House of Archibald?" Sola asked as Kayneth finally noticed the malicious expression on her face.

"No…but…Sola, do you really think that Lancer would abandon me and swear himself to you?"

"Of course I do." Sola said while washing the hand marked with Kayneth's command spells. "He is a Heroic Spirit brought into the world by the power of the Holy Grail. He seeks the Grail like we do. Even if it means changing allegiances, he will do it for the sake of the Grail."

"Sola…!" Kayneth cried out. "Lancer isn't what you think he is!"

"What makes you say that?"

"When I asked him what he sought, he merely said that he had no interest in the Holy Grail." Kayneth ground out in disbelieving anger. "There is no such thing as a Servant without a desire! It is impossible! He's hiding something, but so long as I bear my command spells, then he has no choice but to obey me!"

"Kayneth…"

"I will not give you my command spells!" The mage-lord said firmly, and with a tone that clearly said that there would be no further discussion on the matter.

Sola sighed with resignation, and said "...Kayneth, don't you understand? We must win, no matter what." She dropped the wet towel to the floor and to Kayneth's horror, took hold of his little finger and pulled back. She pulled it until it had reached its limit, and with a popping of torn ligaments and breaking cartilage, it bent back in a way it was never meant to bend. To his credit, Kayneth didn't once cry out, merely staring in horror as the woman he loved broke his fingers. "Listen well Kayneth…" Solar said with a poisoned smile. "…not even a skilled spiritual doctor such as myself am capable of removing command spells on my own. I can only take them with the permission of the original owner. Under normal circumstances, that is; Kayneth, if you will not comply, then I will have no choice but to simply remove your entire right arm. Well, what will it be?"

* * *

><p>"Assassin has failed." Kirei Kotomine said as he bowed before Tokiomi Tohsaka. "I accept full responsibility."<p>

"There's no need to be so remorseful." Tokiomi replied dismissively. "We now know that presence concealment is at the very least partly-effective against Caster's bounded fields, and that Berserker and his Master are allied with Caster." Tokiomi paused and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Berserker's Master…there's a good chance that it's probably a Matou…but which one?"

"Most likely it's either Zouken or Byakuya…" Kirei said. "…I too have come to this conclusion and conducted my own inquiries."

"Very good Kirei-kun…" Tokiomi said with genuine respect. "…what have you uncovered?"

"It is unlikely in the extreme that Kariya Matou is the Master." The priest began. "For one thing we've confirmed that he's currently in Canada, and for another he doesn't appear to have had any form of magus training. However his brother's magical potential is so low that for him to be Berserker's Master must involve incredible strain. Taking into consideration his…condition I find it unlikely that he is in fact Berserker's Master. All that leaves is…"

"…Zouken Matou." Tokiomi finished with a nod. At the same time a nagging thought made itself aware in the back of his mind. "_Technically she's a Matou too…_" he thought but just as quickly dismissed it. "_…no, that's impossible. She's much too young for starters._"

Taking note of Kirei's expression, the magus nodded at the priest. "You have something to add Kirei-kun?" he encouraged, and the priest nodded.

"Yes…" he said. "...I believe that I have a reasonably accurate assumption of Berserker's identity."

"Oh? Do tell."

"A Chinese warrior in general-rank armour from the Han Dynasty…" Kirei explained. "…plus mastery of both the halberd and the bow…some would dismiss it as circumstantial, but personally I think we're up against Lu Bu from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

"Interesting…" Tokiomi agreed with a nod. "…yes, it would make sense, although as you said yourself the evidence is quite circumstantial. There are other halberd masters from that time and age however any of them will prove a dangerous foe on the battlefield."

The two fell silent for a long moment before Tokiomi nodded again. "Very well…" he said. "…we may have failed to uncover the identity of Caster's Master, but we now have knowledge of her alliance with Berserker and quite possibly Zouken Matou. I think we can be satisfied with that…for now."

"What of the King of Heroes?" Kirei asked. "He wishes retribution against Berserker for their previous encounter."

"Keep it secret for now." Tokiomi replied. "The King of Heroes is strong, but Caster and Berserker together may prove too much for even him to handle."

Kirei nodded, bowed and left, leaving Tokiomi alone in his workshop.

* * *

><p>"Lady Sola…" Kayneth asked as he walked up to where she was looking up at the Moon. "…how is my lord's condition?"<p>

"I'm not certain to be honest." Sola replied, and then noticed Lancer's downcast expression. "Don't be so hard on yourself! It wasn't your fault that he got himself hurt so badly fighting Sabre's Master."

"No, but…"

"Diarmuid…" Sola said, turning to and walking towards him. "…he is unworthy of being your Master." Lancer looked at her with mounting horror, recognizing the evident signs of a woman affected by his mystic face much to his own self-disgust. "He has abandoned the contest." Sola pressed, holding up her arm and displaying the command spells she had taken from the fallen mage-lord. "I am your Master now."

Lancer was silent, and then sighing, said "...I have already pledged myself to Kayneth. On my honour as a knight, I cannot acknowledge you as my Master."

"But why…!" Sola demanded angrily. "Have you not been sustained all this time by my prana? And now I have your command spells!"

"I am a knight before a Servant." Lancer said resolutely, refusing to look at her. "I am already sworn to one lord."

"Are you saying that I am unworthy to be your Master?"

"That's not what I…"

"Look at me!" Sola shouted, her eyes tearing at the thought that Lancer was ashamed to look at her. "Lancer, please…win the Holy Grail by my side. Protect me…"

Lancer glanced at her briefly, reminded of his tragic romance with Grainne, before turning and walking away from her. "...if Kayneth has abandoned this contest, then I have no reason to fight any further."

"...we need a miracle to help him!" Sola shouted after him, stopping him in his footsteps. Sola for her part was reduced to tears, unwilling to accept why Lancer would not accept her. "Something that only the Grail is capable of granting. If you truly feel responsible for him, if you are truly loyal to the Lord El-Melloi, then fight for your Master!"

"Lady Sola…" Lancer said softly, turning to look at her. "…do you speak as the Lord El-Melloi's wife, and only for his sake?"

"O-Of course…" Sola responded while fidgeting and looking away.

"Do you swear then, that you have no other desire than this?"

"...I…I swear as the wife to the Lord El-Melloi, that I shall deliver to him the Holy Grail."

Lancer was silent and then he nodded. Sola brightened, but Lancer continued to walk away, refusing to look at or to speak at her. She looked disappointed, but there was resolve in her eyes. She'd make him accept her, no matter the cost. And he knew it too.

"_Grainne…_" Lancer thought as he walked away. "_…and now Lady Sola…why…why must my desire of serving my lord and my lord alone always be denied?_"

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu Emiya whirled as he drew and aimed his gun at the familiar that landed on the ground behind him, Maiya Hisau following suit barely a moment later. The crow tilted its head and looked at him. After a moment the Magus Killer relaxed slightly, although he and Maiya kept their weapons aimed at the interloper in his hideout within the city.<p>

"_Your reflexes are fast…_" a familiar voice spoke in their heads. "_…I am very impressed._"

"Caster…what do you want?" Kiritsugu countered coldly.

"_I was watching your little match with the Lord El-Melloi…_" Caster replied through her familiar. "_...I can see that you're not someone to be trifled with._"

"I'm flattered."

"_Then I shall get to the point…_"

"That would be most appreciated."

"…_quite…_" Caster said and sounding irked at being interrupted. "_…Kiritsugu Emiya, I propose a…non-aggression pact between us. Until this contest ends or until either of us falls, neither of us shall undertake offensive actions against each other. In return I offer you the locations of each of the Masters' hideouts, and all my information on them._"

"What makes you think that I already don't know?" Kiritsugu countered, and Caster's laughter echoed in his and Maiya's heads.

"_Please don't underestimate me, 'Magus Killer'. I know for a fact that you have familiars searching every inch of the city for the whereabouts of the Lord El-Melloi, Rider, and Berserker. I can tell you where they are and more if you accept my offer._"

"What's in it for you?" he countered again, and Caster laughed once more.

"_My Master is…concerned about your little toy…_" Caster explained, and Kiritsugu couldn't help but smile with considerable pride despite the fact that his trump card had been exposed. "_…we have concluded that a confrontation with you will not be in our best interests, especially considering your Servant's true identity._"

"I see…" Kiritsugu said with narrowed eyes. "…so you know about Sabre…"

"_I told you not to underestimate me._"

"I will need time to consider your offer."

"_I expected something of the sort._" Caster replied, and the crow cawed before beginning to fly up and around Kiritsugu. "_My familiar shall return at the end of the day for your answer._"

As the bird flew away into the morning sky, Maiya turned to Kiritsugu. "Will you accept?" she asked, and Kiritsugu shrugged.

"I don't know." He replied. "As I told her, I shall have to think it over."

"I see."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere Caster smirked as her viewing spell shifted to show the image of a blue-haired man buying alcoholic drinks at a store. "Will you be useful to me, I wonder?" she muttered as the man finished his purchases and left. Caster continued to watch as the man wandered home.<p>

_A drunk…he drowns his despair and resignation in alcohol…what will he do when I open a door for him?_

As the man turned a corner and walked down a deserted street, Caster made a decision. Light briefly flickered around her as she donned her 'housewife' disguise, and after a moment teleported herself to appear before the shocked man. "Greetings…" she said with a smile.

"Who the hell are you?" Byakuya Matou demanded, trying to hide his terror in facing a full-fledged magus and not realizing that she was a Heroic Spirit in her own right. "What do you want?"

"...you can call me Caster for now." She said, and raised an eyebrow as Byakuya swallowed fearfully. "Fear not, for I have not come to harm you. Indeed, my coming is merely to…discuss certain matters."

"I'm listening." Byakuya replied weakly. As if he could say anything else; he doubted even the walking corpse in his house could do anything against a Servant. These…beings could fight ancestors and win. And no matter how terrifying Zouken was he wasn't even remotely close to any of the ancestors.

Caster's lips curled. "Tell me…" she asked. "…how much is your freedom worth?"

* * *

><p>AN

Oh fine, I'll start the divergences earlier than I intended. Don't come running to me if Sakura and Caster's characterizations change too much though. My goal here is to change them but still to keep them as recognizably similar to their canon selves.

Anyway…yes, Tokiomi suspects Sakura might be Caster or Berserker's Master, though he quickly dismisses it as impossible. It's his loss.

And finally Caster makes her move to conquer Matou early (no thanks to complaints from those who know who they are).


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 8

Zouken Matou made his way through the kitchen as he headed up out of the basement, and giving Byakuya a disdainful glance as the man continued to drown his troubles in alcohol. Well there was nothing unusual about that, although there was something different about him today. There was fear, and the usual and passive refusal to meet his eyes, but there was something else there…

He was probably reading too much into it, the ancient magus decided dismissively. It was probably just the alcohol in the air reacting with his worms. Zouken continued on his way, even as Byakuya poured himself another glass. The man swirled the alcohol in his glass before holding it up and looking through the glass at Zouken walking away.

_Flashback Begins_

"_What…?" Byakuya Matou asked in confusion._

"_I asked you how much is your freedom worth?" Caster repeated her question. "Don't worry, no one can hear or even see us, as I've placed a bounded field around this street."_

"_What's it to you?" Byakuya countered, and Caster smirked at him._

"_Let's just say that your family has caught my attentions." She replied. "Your patriarch did try to defile my daughter that is true, but I suppose I can work around that."_

"_Are you saying you'll kill Zouken?" Byakuya asked incredulously._

"_Is it so hard to believe?" Caster asked mockingly. "There's a price for it of course, but I'm sure we can come to an arrangement. Your family has wealth, connections, and a name in the modern era. Things I and my daughter will need for the future. Zouken's life and your family's properties in exchange for your freedom…it's a fair trade wouldn't you agree?"_

_Byakuya swallowed. The man had known nothing but resignation and despair for much of his life, but now it seemed as though a ray of light had appeared in the darkness. Zouken dead…a life of his own…vengeance for his wife…freedom for his son…Byakuya swallowed again._

"_What do you need me to do?" he asked, and Caster's smile widened._

_Flashback Ends_

"_Enjoy your rotten life while you can you walking corpse…_" he thought as he drank the glass in one go. "_...Caster will bury you soon enough._"

* * *

><p>Sakura sighed as she sat back in her chair and pulled out her lunchbox. "Hey Sakura…" Yui Shikigami asked as she sat down next to her. "…how are you today?"<p>

"I'm fine." Sakura answered with a shake of her head. "Is something wrong?"

"Hmm…?" Yui echoed with a tilt of her head. "No, I was just curious."

The girls ate their lunch quietly for a while, but eventually Yui broke the silence. "Hey Sakura, are you sure nothing's wrong?" she asked quietly. "You seem distracted for some reason."

"Well actually…" Sakura fumbled before giving a sigh and a roundabout explanation. "…I'm just worried about my mother. She's really busy lately, that's all."

_Flashback Begins_

"_Can we trust Emiya-san?" Sakura asked as Caster knelt down to adjust her uniform. "He…I don't like that man. He feels broken…just like father, there's something wrong about him."_

"_I am inclined to agree." Caster said with a nod._

"_Then why…?"_

"_Just like you said Kiritsugu Emiya is a broken man, although he doesn't realize it yet." Caster answered while standing. Donning her disguise she took hold of Sakura's hand and led her out of their room for their trip to her school. "I don't know why that's the case, nor do I particularly care, but I'm going to make use of that as much as I can."_

"_How…?"_

"_Emiya will never trust us." Caster explained. "He'll stick to the agreement once we pay his price, but at the same time he'll use the opportunity to get as much of an edge over us just in case we actually make it to the end of the contest. And that is something I absolutely have every intention of doing."_

"_Then we'll be doing the same?"_

"_Naturally…" Caster said with an approving smile, and Sakura smiled as well. "…we'll indirectly help the Magus Killer get rid of the other Masters, all the while giving him the illusion of control when in truth he's just our unwitting puppet. I must admit that I'm taking a gamble with this, but I think my experiences as a manipulator will be enough to tip the odds in our favour. When the war ends I'll claim the Grail over his cold corpse."_

_Flashback Ends_

"_Mom…_" Sakura thought to herself as she looked out of a window. "_...I hope you know what you're doing. I don't want to lose you._"

* * *

><p>"You're going to accept Caster's offer?" Irisviel von Einzbern asked her husband with some concern. "Why…?"<p>

"It's in our best interests to do so." Kiritsugu replied. "As a Servant, Caster is actually the weakest even when compared to Assassin. They are absolutely dependent on their spells, which means their prana requirements are quite high, possibly even comparable to a Berserker. And while being a magus from the Age of the Gods is something in her favour, Caster isn't truly capable of standing against Sabre in a fair fight."

"And…?"

"After considering what I just told you, I've concluded that there's no real need for us to confront Caster at this point." Kiritsugu said. "And apparently she has no desire to do so either. She knows she's no match for Sabre, and her Master fears me." Kiritsugu paused, and actually chuckled at the implied complement. "Based on that, we can safely assume the promised information is perfectly accurate, lest they provoke retaliation from us."

"They could be in alliance with another Master…" Irisviel pressed. "…it could be a setup for a trap."

"I've already considered that possibility." Kiritsugu conceded. "But I'm not stupid. I won't just rashly take advantage of what's given to me, at least not without checking it out first."

"Just be careful Kiri…" Irisviel said. "…there's more at stake here than our lives."

"I know…" Kiritsugu replied as his wife took his hand in hers. "…Illya…the fate of the world even…but you will never see any of it…"

"I've told you before…" Irisviel began comfortingly. "…if it's for the sake of our Illya, and for the sake of your dream, I don't mind dying."

"…I mind!" Kiritsugu burst out, and then looked away with a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if…if we should just have taken Illya and ran away. There are ways to hide from the Great Houses, it's been proven by the Dead Apostles and the Sealing Designates…"

"Kiri…" Irisviel interrupted him and cupped his face. "…could you stop chasing your dream? Could you stop striving to become a Hero of Justice?"

"…no…" Kiritsugu finally managed to answer after a long moment. "…I suppose I can't. I never could."

Irisviel smiled sadly and embraced her husband. After a few moments she felt his arms go around her and hold her tightly. And at that point in time, with only the two of them in that room, she knew the Magus Killer did not exist. Kiritsugu Emiya simply was. He was just another man adrift in life, with no real purpose. He was to be pitied, but she could not bring herself to do so. She loved him too much to pity him. A man whose dream was too noble for the world, and could only be brought about by a miracle. "A price must always be paid." She whispered. "That is the principle of equivalent exchange: to obtain, something of equal value must be lost."

"_Then it's not really a miracle, is it?_" he silently answered, but refrained from actually vocalizing it. There was no need to debate the matter with his wife, and all he did was enjoy her presence by his side.

* * *

><p>"You speak Japanese very well." Rin commented as she and 'Ginevra' played in the park after school. Aoi Tohsaka watched over them from a nearby bench, indulging her daughter's foreign friend.<p>

"My dad's Japanese." Sakura replied as she caught the ball and tossed it back at Rin.

"Oh I see! Does he live here?"

"If you mean here, then yes he lives and works in Japan." Sakura answered. Technically it wasn't a lie she just gave a different answer to what was expected. It was a different but just as truthful answer.

"Your mom met him at work?" Rin asked again.

"You could say that…" Sakura replied evasively. If it was impossible to give a roundabout answer then adopting a façade of discomfort at the truth along with a vague redirection was the next best thing. After all, it wasn't like her parents had actually met each other…yet. Somehow she just knew there would a reunion of sorts.

"Sorry…" Rin apologized after getting the hint. "…sensitive topic…shouldn't have asked."

"It's alright…" Sakura assured her. "…you didn't know."

"So what you do for most of the day?" Rin asked. "Do you go to school too?"

"No…" Sakura said, the gears in her head already turning to find a working answer. "…my mom's only here for a while, so she said I don't need to attend school. I have a tutor instead."

It was the truth, sort-of. Her mother had no intention of letting it happen, but if things went poorly she would disappear. Not that it would ever happen, not if they could help it. As for a tutor…it wasn't exactly a lie. She did have a tutor – a magical tutor to be precise – in her mother.

"I see…" Rin said as she caught the ball.

"By the way…" Sakura began hesitantly, and Rin urged her on with a nod. "…do you have a sibling?"

"No…" Rin said after a while, and Sakura smiled inwardly. Just from the expression on her face it was obvious that Rin remembered and still cared for her. "…I had one once, but she had to go away. I didn't want her to go away, but she had to."

_I never wanted to go either._

It didn't escape her notice that Aoi – who'd been listening in apparently – looked downcast and unhappy. _Then why didn't you say nor do anything? You knew…Uncle Kariya was your friend since you were both children…there's no way the two couldn't have known what was waiting for me down there!_

Sakura had seen flashes of her mother's memories. She had seen her kill her brother and father. She had seen her kill her own children – Sakura's half-siblings. It should have horrified her. It did. It should have made her hate her mother. But she could not.

_It wasn't her fault…not really._

She had felt her mother's emotions through her memories. She had felt her mother's horror at the realization at what the gods had tricked her into doing. She had felt her mother's endless grief as she poisoned her children…because if she didn't the mob would have killed them slowly and painfully.

_She did what she had to do…just like father._

Sakura couldn't hate her father. She resented him for what he'd done, just as she pitied and loved her mother all the more for what had been done to her. But Aoi Tohsaka…it was like nothing she had ever felt before.

_Is this hatred I feel?_

"Sorry…" Sakura said aloud. "…I shouldn't have asked."

"Rin…" Aoi said while standing. "…it's time to go. Your father's waiting."

"Okay…" Rin said while picking up the ball, though from the brief expression of surprise on her face at the last set of words it wasn't expected. "…see you soon Ginevra."

"Bye…" Sakura replied with a wave and a bow at Aoi, who nodded with a sad smile at her. As mother and daughter walked away, Sakura sighed and closed her eyes. Her blue irises were like ice when they opened.

_If this is hate, then be thankful for my sister, Mrs Tohsaka. Otherwise I would ask my mother to kill you as painfully as possible, while I roast and eat marshmallows to the sound of your screams._

* * *

><p>"<em>Have you come to a decision?<em>" the crow familiar asked Kiritsugu.

"I have." The man replied verbally. "Your offer is acceptable."

Caster's elegant laughter echoed inside his head, and Kiritsugu inwardly restrained the impulse to simply destroy the familiar then and there. He knew that both he and Caster were effectively just buying time for both of them to backstab each other in the future, and the only reason he was accepting this offer in the first place was that Caster was a better choice – in the sense that she was easier to defeat by Sabre – as a final opponent with the possible exception of Assassin (which had very minute chances of surviving to that point).

"_You have made a most wise decision._" She told him, and this time Kiritsugu actually snorted.

"Did I really?" he countered and she laughed again.

"_Maybe you did and maybe you didn't…_" Caster replied, and Kiritsugu could tell that she was amused and implicitly respectful of his distrust. Despite himself the Magus Killer felt his respect for the Servant of the Spell rise considerably. This was a Servant more to his heart, who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty to get the job done. "_…as promised I shall give you the information I have on the other Masters and Servants._"

"Very well…"

"_Let us begin with Lancer…_" Caster began, and images of a ruined warehouse protected with very basic bounded fields appeared in his head and were magically superimposed and isolated on a map of the city. "_…this is their hiding spot. The Lord El-Melloi is still alive, though he's paralyzed from the neck down, unable to use magic, and apparently forced to surrender his command spells to his ally. She's unstable – apparently she's entranced by Lancer to the point of imbecility._"

"…I already know the latter, but my thanks for the information."

"_Archer and Assassin are both primarily based at the Tohsaka Estate._" She continued, and Kiritsugu snorted again. "_Keep in mind that Assassin is only nominally based there. He has multiple incarnations apparently, and they're scattered all over the city. Furthermore while I still have yet to discover Archer's true identity, I've narrowed it down somewhat based on his armour inscriptions. He's probably one of the Sumerian god-kings. Watch yourself that one may prove even more powerful than the King of Knights._"

Kiritsugu whistled at the report. Now that was interesting and troubling in equal measure. "_Kirei Kotomine is mentally-unstable, though I claim the right to take advantage of that fact. Unfortunately Tokiomi Tohsaka is of stronger mind than his ward, and is immune to subversion. However, here is the location of Tohsaka's wife and child._"

Kiritsugu raised an eyebrow as the information slipped into his mind. "_My Master would like to pass on a request by the way, should you choose to take advantage of Tohsaka and his daughter, to spare them. She has a…interest in them._"

"Your Master has strange interests then." Kiritsugu commented.

"_Quite…_" Caster riposted before continuing. "_…here is the location of Rider and his Master. Waver Velvet is a weakling and of no concern to me, even if his Servant is not to be underestimated._"

Kiritsugu sighed at the appearance of Waver's hosts. Iri would give him hell if he involved Tohsaka's wife and child, given that the former wasn't even a magus while the latter was barely seven. And now Waver was revealed to be living with an elderly couple. Oh yes, Iri would definitely give him hell if he killed those two in cold blood. He had gotten soft.

_But the price is worth it._

"What about Berserker?" he asked.

"_I don't know._" Caster replied, and Kiritsugu blinked. For the first time ever since he'd met her – admittedly quite a few times – she sounded unsure. Kiritsugu didn't know whether or not to believe her but from the sound of things…

"_Despite all my best efforts I have been unable to locate Berserker or his Master. Unfortunately it doesn't help that he hasn't shown himself since the battle at the docks. His Master must be a Master of deception._"

"About that…" Kiritsugu began. "…why did you expose yourself back then? Considering that you are among the weaker classes…"

"_What makes you think I didn't have countermeasures in place?_" she countered immediately. "_Are you certain that was even me to begin with, and not just a projection? I could just have easily been watching shrouded while everyone else was focused on an illusion._"

"…true…" Kiritsugu conceded. "…or we could just have been meant to think that. Or you were counting on the King of Conqueror's backup for a Servant who came in good faith only to be attacked unprovoked."

"_Clever boy…_"

Kiritsugu smirked. "I do my best." He said modestly. "By the way, have you any idea who Matou's Servant is?"

"_It's probably Berserker._" Caster replied. "_You might think I'm diverting attention, but think for a moment. Would someone like I even consider serving one of them?_"

"Unlikely…" Kiritsugu conceded grudgingly. "…you're much too elegant. You'd probably kill your Master – if he was a Matou – within ten minutes."

"_There you go._" She said with satisfaction. "_Feel free to investigate the Matou Estate, but be warned. It's well-protected – for the modern era – and if Berserker is there you might end up biting off more than you can chew._"

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

><p>A resounding boom echoed across the temple late that night and startled Sakura from her sleep. Bounded fields across the temple came to life and forced the monks back to bed, while an angry Caster cleaned spilled elixir from her clothes before grabbing her staff to confront whoever dared disturb her labours. A mental question flashed from Berserker, but she quickly told him to stay on guard at the temple gates. Whoever this was had entered the holy precincts by another route, but there was still the possibility of a frontal attack should she leave the gateway unguarded.<p>

"Who dares?" she demanded angrily as she slid open the external doors with her staff crackling with raw power…and nearly fell to the ground in shock. Standing in the middle of the courtyard was Rider's chariot, and in it and beside the cowering Waver was a grinning Rider. Who was wearing modern attire…the shirt read **ADMIRABLE**...and what was with those barrels of wine in the chariot?

"Rider…" she said weakly while mentally counting to ten. "…what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to extend an invitation!" he said grandly. "I'm sure you remember from a few days ago when I said I intended to get everyone together for a good talk. Now is the time!"

"Really…?" Caster said exasperatedly. This guy simply cannot be serious.

"I see that you're quite sceptical about my intentions." Rider said, and Caster blinked. This man was more perceptive than she thought. Although that had to be expected, given that he did conquer the world in ancient times. "At any rate it's your prerogative whether to accept or decline, but should you choose the former, then meet us at Castle von Einzbern!"

Caster watched wearily as Rider thundered back up into the skies. "This is insane." She said, and was surprised to see Sakura looking at her. "Sakura…what's wrong?"

"Are you going to go?" she asked, and Caster fidgeted and scratched her head.

"It's risky, but I might have to." She said unhappily. "It might be seen as insolent or something along that line by the King of Conquerors. That man is a bad enemy."

"Can I go?" Sakura asked after a moment. "I want to meet the kings too."

"It's dangerous…" Caster began slowly. "…but leaving you alone here is probably even more dangerous. First Assassin and now Rider have shown that we're far from invincible here despite all our bounded fields and Berserker's silent vigil at the gates. We'd have to put up a good fight, and we have a good chance of beating off an attacker or attackers, but we'd be exposed along with Berserker…perhaps it was a good idea to prepare another stronghold…"

Caster fell silent, and stroked her chin thoughtfully. A few moments later and she reached a decision. "Go make yourself presentable, my dear…" she told Sakura. "…I have to go and prepare something before we can go."

Sakura nodded and ran off to carry out her mother's orders while Caster headed deeper into her territory. It would not do to needlessly expose her daughter to the enemy, even if she was coming with her. Despite herself she smiled at the thought of the coming 'discussion'.

_This might be interesting._

* * *

><p>AN

Some characterization in this chapter and an explanation for what some unimaginative folks out there called a 'tactical blunder' for Caster when she appeared at the docks. Magnificent Bastards aren't afraid to appear on the front lines or at risk because they've already prepared for it. No shit geniuses.

Caster is right – Kiritsugu is broken even before he gets cursed by Angra Mainyu. Just look at his eyes…a lot of them are. Tokiomi…Kiritsugu…Kirei…they just don't realize it. Ironically enough Uryuu Ryuunosoke (I might give him an appearance if I feel like it) doesn't have Dull Eyes of Unhappiness…despite the fact that he's an insane sociopath he's actually not broken. What the hell?


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 9

Sabre sat impassively in the middle of the courtyard, opposite the King of Conquerors with his usual jovial disposition. Behind her Irisviel stood at a good distance, matched by Waver behind his Servant. She didn't flinch as Rider bashed open the cask of wine he'd brought with him.

Her expression didn't change as Rider took a hearty drink, nor when he began to address her. "The Grail is meant for one who is most worthy of it…" He began. "…and the battle in this city is meant to determine who that person is. But as a means of selection it involves too much unnecessary fighting. If all Heroic Spirits involved simply acknowledge each other according to their appropriate ranks, then the matter will sort itself out."

Rider paused and smiled, and then offered her a full ladle of wine. Sabre accepted the offering and after a brief pause, drank it in one go. Rider raised an eyebrow and gave an approving growl as she returned the ladle. "So you wish to start by comparing your rank against mine, Rider?" she asked. Despite her misgivings about the man, Rider seemed to be earnest about his intentions. And while she'd normally dismiss it as being too naïve, he was the King of Conquerors. If he thought it had a chance of working, then it was probably worth trying.

"Precisely…" Rider replied with a grin. "…and since the two of us are kings, then we ought to be the first to set an example for others. Therefore during this night, we should hold a discussion instead of fighting a war, wouldn't you agree? The matter of who is meant to hold the Holy Grail…let us decide it over a friendly drink, without unnecessary bloodshed and humiliation."

"I've heard quite enough of that nonsense…" Archer said disdainfully as he appeared in a swirl of gold to the right of the gathered Masters and Servants, only to pause as space collapsed opposite him and Caster appeared. The woman pulled back her hood to expose her face, but the golden king's crimson eyes were fixed on the space right next to her. After a moment he smiled and briefly closed his eyes with amused approval before walking forwards.

"Archer…! Caster…!" Sabre said in alarm. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well…" Rider began. "…I saw golden boy here wandering about in town, so I decided to invite him. And then Waver mentioned that Caster had dug in at the mountains, so I paid her a visit and gave her an invitation as well." He paused as the two other Servants came closer.

"You're late, the two of you!" he continued good-naturedly. "Well, golden boy did have to come on foot, and Caster probably had to do whatever it is women do before going out, so it's no problem I suppose."

"You're holding a banquet of heroes in this backwater?" Archer said in disgust while looking around. "How do you intend to make it up to me for making me walk here?

"Come on, don't say that." Rider said unfazed even as both Irisviel and Waver took a step back from Archer's malevolence. "Here…" he continued, and offering the ladle to Archer. "…have a drink first."

Archer accepted it as Caster took her seat and Sabre relaxed. The man sniffed at it and then snorted in contempt. "What is this cheap swill?" he retorted. "Do you really think that we can discuss matters of heroism over that?"

"Do you really think so?" Rider asked as he took the ladle back and looked at the wine with a concerned expression. "This was among the best I could find in the marketplace."

"That's because you're completely ignorant about true drink, pretender!" Archer snapped. He held out a hand, and a golden portal opened. A moment later and a strong-smelling flagon of wine slowly slid out of the portal and came to rest against the ground. Rider whistled at the sight even as Irisviel gave a disapproving expression at the strong smell of Archer's wine.

"Behold and acknowledge your folly!" Archer said while adopting a smug and satisfied smile as he pulled out four golden cups from another portal and tossed them to Rider. "This is the drink of kings and heroes!"

"Splendid indeed…!" Rider said gleefully as he caught the cups and filled them before distributing them among the gathered Servants. "This is really good!" he commented as he sampled Archer's vintage.

Sabre could only stare with amazement at the wine in her cup while Caster gave a sigh of approval. "My treasury only houses the finest, be it weapons or the good things of life." Archer said softly as he swirled the drink in his cup. "This alone should be sufficient to determine who is truly superior amongst us."

"I am inclined to agree." Caster said as she toasted Archer. "I knew you were one of the Sumerian god-kings, but to possess the fabled wine of the Cedar Forest…there can no longer be any doubt. I must apologize, Your Majesty, for not recognizing you sooner."

Archer smirked as the cloaked woman gave a bow. "God-king…?" he echoed. "I've no desire to be considered among the things who dare lord themselves above Humanity as gods."

"My apologies if I offended you…" Caster continued. "…but did your subjects not deify you after your death?"

"A fair point sorceress…" Archer conceded. "…yes, it is true that I have no desire to be a god. Divinity is an overrated thing, as is immortality. Indeed, mortals and Humanity are superior simply because. But my people…well if they wish to adore me in such a fashion then who am I to deny them their glorification of their king?"

"It is as you say." Caster said with another bow.

"Oh?" Rider began with evident interest. "You know who golden boy is? Won't you share that with us?"

"Even as a princess in my own right it is still not my place to expose a king's identity when he has no desire to do so himself." Caster replied apologetically.

"Ah, I see. That's a shame."

"A princess you say…?" Archer said, but with less disdain than before. "Well you did recognize who I am, and you do know your place and proper protocol, so I suppose I can give away such a petty title."

"Anyway going back…" Rider began anew while refilling his cup. "…earlier you said that this wine was enough to determine who is truly superior. However I must disagree. Your finest drink is truly worthy of the finest vessel. But the Holy Grail is not a drinking cup. So come now, share with us your wish for the Holy Grail."

"Enough with the nonsense, pretender..." Archer said dismissively. "…the Holy Grail War is nonsense at any rate. The Grail already belongs to me. Each and every one of the world's treasures can all trace their origin to my treasury."

"So you're saying you once held the Holy Grail?" Rider asked excitedly. "So you know what it's exactly like?"

"No."

Rider looked confused at Archer's answer, while Sabre looked as impassive as ever, and Caster gave an amused smile. "Don't judge the matter according to your standards pretender." Archer continued. "The wealth of my treasury is greater than my own knowledge. Just the sheer fact that it's treasure makes it mine. That's simply how it is."

"And anyone who would dare take something from me…" Archer paused and narrowed his eyes. "…is nothing more than a brazen thief."

"How arrogant…" Sabre commented. "…to consider something to be yours simply because it is coveted by others…how self-centred…"

"Now, now…" Rider said diplomatically as an offended Archer turned his viper-like gaze towards the other blonde. "…I think I too know who golden boy really is. So then Archer, are you saying that we need your consent if we wish to hold the Grail?"

"Finally you understand." Archer said. "However I've no desire to allow pretenders to hold the Grail."

"Selfish aren't you?" Rider said mock offence, something that Archer took in stride.

"Fool…" he said. "…only my subjects are worthy of my generosity. Rider, the Holy Grail is yours if you submit yourself to me. A cup or two is something I can afford to be generous with."

"That's impossible!" Rider said with a laugh. "But Archer…you've no desire for the Grail, do you?"

"Of course I don't. I simply deliver judgment to those who dare covet my treasures. It's a matter of principle."

"I take it that is your 'Way of the King' Archer?"

"You assume correctly…" Archer said with approval. "…I am the King. I set down the laws to be obeyed by the people, and I will punish those who break them. That is my duty, and my privilege."

"A magnificent way it is then…" Rider said as he emptied his cup once more. "…but unfortunately I covet the Grail too much. What's more, I'm the King of Conquerors."

Archer smirked at him, completely divining the redhead's meaning. "It doesn't matter." He said. "If you break the law, then I must and will punish you."

"Unfortunately then, it seems that it is inevitable that we cross blades." Rider commented with a hint of regret as he refilled his and Archer's cups. "But let us at least finish this drink and discussion among heroes before our fight to the death."

"Of course, or are you belittling the wine I've granted you?"

Rider cackled and turned to Caster. "Caster…" he began. "…you are no king with a way which we can discuss, but you are still a Heroic Spirit. You have also manifested in this contest, so at the least let us hear your desire."

"My desire…?" Caster echoed as Rider refilled her cup. "My desire is simply to live. Yes, a new life free of the gods' interference. That is my wish. Selfish...yes, you can say that. I care not." Caster paused and looked down at one gloved hand, which she clenched into a fist. "But I am alive. The gods are dead and gone, while I live. Perhaps this life born of the Grail is false and incomplete, but I still have a chance to make it true and whole."

"That's it?" Sabre said aghast. "Your only wish is to live? No higher aspirations…you dare call yourself a hero, Caster?"

"To live is to be victorious Sabre." Caster said, while Archer and Rider sat silent. "The world seeks Humanity's submission and destruction. It hates us. As a magus I know this quite well. Be it through the Phantasmal Species of the Age of the Gods, or the steady wearing of time in this Age of Man, the world hasn't changed in that regard. To live to see another day freely and to defy the inhuman will bending our race to its will…that is victory. To defy fate and impossibility…that is heroism in itself."

"I agree sorceress…" Archer said with grudging respect. "…if your desire is to live free of inhuman whims controlling your life, then you have my approval. Humans are the perfect race, alone worthy to rule the universe. There is nothing higher than us to be acknowledged."

"Furthermore, I never once claimed to be a hero Sabre." Caster continued after she gave a grateful bow to Archer. "If anything I am an anti-hero. Does it matter? I merely gave as well as I received, and was condemned for it. If the world and society has no desire to treat fairly with me, then I have no obligation to treat fairly with them."

"That's…that's so selfish!" Sabre retorted. "I do not know who you are, or whether or not you were unfairly treated in life, but there is more to the world than yourself! There is more to it than your claims of destroying Humanity."

"Never mind her Caster…" Archer assured Caster. "…a child of the modern era cannot comprehend Gaea and the gods' treachery. Or for that matter the concept of 'an eye of an eye'. They have gone soft and weak…for the most part."

Archer grinned, his crimson eyes fixed on a point behind the Servant of the Spell who narrowed her eyes in realization. "What of you King of Conquerors?" Caster asked after a moment. "What is your desire for the Grail?"

Rider smiled and emptied his cup in one drink. "Incarnation…" he finally said, and Caster smiled while Sabre and Archer looked taken aback.

"Huh?" Waver said in shock before running forward and tugging on his Servant's shoulder. "Hey, wasn't your goal supposed to be world conquest?"

Rider knocked the boy back with hand. "...idiot…" he said. "…what's the point in conquering the world if the Grail does it for me? Caster here shares my sentiments doesn't she? Conquest is my dream, just as life is hers! All we want from the Grail is the means to make those dreams possible!"

"So the pretender shares similar sentiments to the princess…" Archer began. "…however I have decided that while the princess may yet prove worthy of my generosity, the same cannot be said for you."

Rider was silent for a moment. "Prana gives us forms in this world…" Rider said. "…it gives us abilities beyond that of even the mightiest magi…but in the end it's just as Caster said: this life is false and incomplete. But even if I lose all that in order to be reborn as a true Human…I will continue regardless. I will conquer Heaven and Earth, regardless of what obstacles stand before me! That is what it means to be the King of Conquerors! That is my Way of the King!"

"Rider…" Archer said with complete approval. "…I've made my decision. I will kill you myself."

"I salute a true king." Caster said as she raised her cup, something Archer did at the same time.

"Ha…!" Rider barked as he returned the gesture. "Was there any doubt of either what the two of you just said? And don't forget golden boy: I'm still planning to take that treasury of yours for myself."

"That is not what a king is meant to be." Sabre said, and the three ancient Humans glanced at her.

"Oh? Then let us hear your wish." Rider challenged her while Caster hid her expression by taking a drink. Something told her that the King of Knights would be making a terrible mistake soon.

"My wish…" Sabre began. "…my wish is to save my homeland. With the omnipotent wish machine, I shall change Britain's fate of destruction."

Silence fell across the gathering. "Hey, King of Knights…" Rider broke the silence by setting down his cup. "…did you just say you would change written history? That you would change the past…?"

"If the Holy Grail is truly what if claims to be then…"

Acher began to laugh, while Caster just shook her head. "But Sabre…" Rider began hesitantly. "…if I remember correctly, Britain fell under your rule did it not…?"

"...yes, and that is why I must change that fate!" she insisted. "It is my greatest burden, my obligation and responsibility!" Archer began to laugh harder at her words, causing Sabre to bristle. "Archer, why do you laugh?"

"She calls herself a king and is recognized as such by the world…" Archer said in between his laughs. "…yet she calls it a burden? How can I not laugh?"

"Sabre…" Rider continued gravely. "…are you saying that you regret your own role in history?"

"Yes I do!" she replied passionately. "What is so wrong about it? Why do you laugh? The kingdom I gave everything to lead and protect was destroyed! Why is it so wrong to regret that?"

"Can you hear her Rider and Caster?" Archer asked gleefully. "She gave everything she says…!"

Rider's expression grew grim as Archer collapsed into peals of laughter, while Caster shook her head again. "Sabre…" Caster said. "…your wish cannot be fulfilled. It's not just the world, but creation itself that forbids it! The Kaleidoscope, the Second True Magic: Operation of Parallel Realms – even if you change history, all you will do is to create an alternate timeline. Nothing will truly change for yourself."

"Hypocrite…!" Sabre accused her. "You yourself said that to defy the impossible is to be a hero!"

"Changing the past is meaningless…" Caster said coldly. "…accepting the impossible is the first step to defying it. In my case that is to live and create a future untainted by the shadows of the past. That is what it means to defy the impossible. When the past dictates that freedom and happiness is not meant for you, then acquire it with your own hands in the future, regardless of the cost!"

"And once again I accuse you of selfishness Caster!" Sabre shouted while getting to her feet. "Regardless of the cost you say…and you dare call yourself a princess…!"

"That's enough Sabre." Rider said firmly. "As a matter of fact, why don't you enlighten us on your Way of the King, that we may understand your desire?"

"My Way of the King is simple: that is the King must be willing to sacrifice of himself no matter what to ensure the prosperity of his kingdom!"

"No Sabre…" Rider disagreed immediately. "…a king should never sacrifice anything. It is the kingdom and the people who sacrifice themselves for the king. It is never the other way around."

"What…?" Sabre said in shock. "Those are the words of a tyrant!"

"Yes, they are." Rider agreed. "And that is why we who are tyrants are also considered as heroes, because for good or ill we left indelible marks on history and the hearts of men. Furthermore if a king considers his kingdom a burden then he is nothing more than a fool. He is even less than a tyrant!"

"Iskandar…" Sabre said softly. "…your death led to all your heirs being slain, and your realm divided into warring kingdoms that swiftly vanished into the sands of history. Are you saying that you have no regrets?"

"None…!" Rider answered, and Sabre fell back in shock. "Nations rise and fall and my realm was no exception. If its fate was to fall after my death, then so be it. I mourn it. I will even weep for it. But I will never regret it!"

"But that…!"

"Nor will I attempt to change that fate!" Rider interrupted her angrily. "To do so would bring shame to all who stood by me during my reign!"

"There is no glory to be found in destruction!" Sabre declared. "What is a King if he cannot protect his people? Just rule…just laws…those are what it means to be a King!"

"So you are a king who is a slave to what is just?" Rider asked.

"It doesn't matter." Sabre answered. "A king should be willing to give his all for his ideals."

"That is no way to live."

"A king cannot live as another person. You cannot understand you who seek the Grail for your own benefit, you who sacrificed your people for your own ambition."

"A king without ambition is no king!" Rider roared angrily. "He is not even worthy of being called a figurehead! Sabre, you said you would give everything for your ideals. In life you must have truly been seen as admirable. Noble and something to look up to indeed…but can one truly find happiness on a self-denying road? Would the people dream of something like that?"

A cold wind began to blow, and an expression of anguish began to appear on Sabre's face at Rider's words. "A king must be greedier, happier, and angrier than everyone else." Rider continued. "He is everything that people want to be, be it good or evil. That is the reason why all love and envy him! Only then can he inspire and lead his people to greater heights! King of Knights…your nobility and ideals served you well as you sought to protect your people. But what happened when you were no longer there to protect them?"

"No…" Sabre whispered.

"You saved your people." Rider said. "But you never led them! You never showed them what a king should be! And in your absence, they knew not to whom they should turn to for leadership! All because of your pretty little ideals that did not recognize their needs! You are no king. You are just a little girl dreaming of things that cannot be."

"That's enough King of Conquerors." Caster said in surprising defence of Sabre. "There is no need to trample on her ideals."

"You agree with her then Caster?" Rider asked.

"No…" Caster replied. "…but she is a king. If that is what she decides her rule should be, then so be it."

"But…!"

"However…" Caster said with a poisonous smile. "…the problem now is that while she professes those are her ideals, it appears that she actually doesn't believe in them."

"What?" Sabre and Rider said at the same time.

"After all, Sabre…" Caster continued. "…your desire is to change history isn't it? Therefore I must ask: King Arthur, do you truly value the loyalty of those who stood by you until the very end? Gawain…Bedivere…and many others besides…does their loyalty mean so little to you?"

"I…I…"

Archer laughed again and an incensed Sabre turned on him. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Oh nothing…" he replied. "…it's just that I finally realized that your face reminded me of something familiar that's all. It's the face I would expect of a virgin I would take to bed."

"Bastard…!" Sabre snarled as she reached for her sword…and then halted even as Archer's amused face took on a displeased expression. Shadows shifted and a masked and black-clothed woman appeared behind Waver. Screaming in terror the boy ran to and collapsed against Rider's back.

"It's Assassin!" he shouted even as Irisviel ran to Sabre's side and Sakura collapsed her shroud before running to her mother.

"A child…" Irisviel breathed in shock as she beheld the command spells on Sakura's right hand. "…but how…?"

"Are you behind this golden boy?" Rider asked as more Assassins appeared around them.

Archer made a sound of disgust before looking apologetically at Sakura. The girl looked nothing like Tokiomi's woman, but she had her father's eyes…assuming her father ever had life in his eyes. "Your father shames himself little girl." He commented.

Sakura grabbed her command spells even as Caster summoned her staff. "I know…" Sakura whispered.

* * *

><p>AN

Cedar Forest – it's the Mesopotamian equivalent to Greece's Mt Olympus/home of the gods. So wine of the Cedar Forest = wine of the gods.

Sabre bashing as usual, though Caster is more deadly here in that rather than crushing Sabre she's more of pointing out flaws in Sabre's wishes and ideals. One – she points out that changing the past is meaningless as per the Kaleidoscope it will just create an alternate timeline which has no real effect on Sabre's original timeline. Two – Sabre espouses ideals of nobility and justice, yet ironically by changing the past to save Britain those ideals will probably be abandoned by whichever 'tyrant' replaces her.

Serious thought: how would the Banquet of Kings turn out if we involve Emperor Reinhard von Lohengramm? I imagine he and Alexander would get along quite well, though I'm not sure he'd like Gilgamesh or whether he'd be amused or disgusted by Altria.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 10

"S-so many…" Waver gasped at the sight of the multiple Assassins around them. Ghostly laughter echoed in response to his words.

"We are one…" one Assassin began, his voice echoing across the courtyard.

"…divided into many…" another continued.

"…an army…"

"…and also one…"

"…death in every shadow."

"…a Servant with multiple bodies and personalities." Waver said in shocked realization.

"But since they all add up to one, it must mean that each incarnation is actually weaker than the whole." Caster countered coldly. "Such an oblique ability…however seeing as all the Masters here aren't really combat-hardened, this could be troublesome. Sakura, stay close to me."

"R-Rider…" Waver stammered out in fear even as Sabre tightened her grip on her sword. Archer just looked disgusted, but surprisingly enough the King of Conquerors didn't look the least bit concerned.

"Calm down my friends…" the man said after a drink. "…the Assassin isn't the most distinguished among heroes, but they still have a place on the Throne of Heroes. They may yet surprise us."

"Are you saying you'll invite them as well, King of Conquerors?" Archer asked derisively.

Rider just grinned. "But of course…! A king must always welcome those who come before him. If they wish to speak fairly then let us hear them out at the very least..."

Still grinning, Rider took the ladle and filled it before holding it up in the air. "…now come forth Assassin!" he shouted in a welcoming fashion. "If you wish to speak with us in peace, then partake of this wine, which shall be as your blood!"

The only response was a dagger sent flying through the air to break the ladle in half, spilling its contents onto the ground and on Rider's shoulder. The Masters shrank back in shock, while even Caster looked aghast at the sight. Even one as steeped in treachery as her would not dare spit on sacred hospitality in such a fashion. Archer made a scoffing sound and briefly closed his eyes as Rider's expression turned grim. "Very well…" the King of Conquerors growled as he rose to his feet. "…as I said this drink shall be as your blood. If you insist on spilling it…then so be it."

A powerful wind erupted around Rider, forcing Sabre to shield her eyes even as Sakura and Irisviel took shelter behind their respective Servants and Waver braced himself for what he knew not on the ground. Archer looked on neutrally, while Caster ground her teeth. "_This wind…_" she silently told herself. "_…it appears to be elemental magecraft, but it's not! It's something else. It's as though the world itself is…no, that's impossible!_"

"Archer…Sabre…!" Rider demanded as his usual attire manifested on him. "As fellow kings let me ask you: should a king be alone?"

"The King must indeed be alone!" Sabre replied resolutely even as Archer smirked with amused respect at the question.

"No, it seems that you don't understand at all." Rider said as prana began to build. "It appears I must show you what being a king truly means!"

Prana blasted outwards in a burst of light and wind…and then everyone present save for Archer could only gasp and look around in amazement at the sight that met them. A desert as far as the eye could see, with no mountains to mark the distance, stretching from horizon to horizon under the clear blue sky and the burning desert Sun. A harsh and forbidding landscape that promised hardship to any who dared cross it in pursuit of the unknown, and yet it stirred emotions of awe and adventure in the hearts of all present.

"This is impossible…" Caster whispered as she rose to her feet while holding Sakura close, her staff held limply in her other hand. "…but it cannot be denied…mother goddesses preserve us…"

"A reality marble…" Irisviel breathed. "…a mental image superimposed over the real world. But how…?"

"He's not a magus…" Sakura asked. "…I don't understand."

Rider just grinned at their words, the dry desert wind blowing his crimson cape behind me. "Here my armies once rode across the land…" he explained. "…the place all the heroes who stood by me through joy and sorrow will never forget. And I can make this world real because it still exists in our hearts!"

The wind swiftly died down, but now the sound of countless marching feet began to echo across the dunes. Sabre, Caster, Irisviel, and Sakura turned to look behind them, and expressions of shock and awe filled their faces even as Waver rose to his feet. Archer remained seated, but it was clear from his expression that even he could say nothing as countless soldiers and mounts marched across the dunes towards them, the sunlight shining from their spears and shields, banners of red and gold held proudly aloft as the spirits of Rider's faithful soldiers answered their king's call across time and space and beyond even death itself.

"Behold my endless armies!" Rider proudly declared. "Their bodies have been destroyed, and their spirits offered to the world as Heroic Spirits! But still, these legendary heroes pledge their loyalty to me! They are my greatest treasures and my right to rule! The ultimate Noble Phantasm that I, Iskander, possess: Ionian Hetairoi!"

Victory cries roared across the desert from countless throats in response to their King's proclamation, and Archer could only close his eyes in respect to their spirits. "Each of these is a Servant!" Waver gasped.

"…a collective reality marble…" Caster hissed in realization. "…Rider only brings it forth, and from thence the entire army…soldier upon soldier keeps it together."

"It's been a long time, partner." Rider said nostalgically as Bucephalus calmly walked up beside him and nuzzled him affectionately. The king stroked the horse's neck before turning to face his army. "A king…" he declared. "…must live a grander life than all others, and be an object of envy and admiration to all those who follow him!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"He who is the envy of heroes, and leads them from the front, is the King!" Rider continued as he mounted Bucephalus. "Therefore the King is not alone, for his will equals the will of all those that follow him!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Now then Assassin…" Rider asked with a vicious smile as he turned to face the cowering Assassins. "…shall we begin? As you can see what we have here is a plain. Unfortunately with our superior numbers we have the advantage. Eliminate them!"

With a thunder of battle cries and countless feet striking the ground, the entire army charged towards the Assassins, who all save one broke and fled for all the good it would do them. Rider rode ahead of his army, outstripping even the riders of his personal guard and personally beheading the lone Assassin who faced her death with dignity. The others perished like cowards, impaled from behind with steel-tipped javelins or ridden down by iron-shod hooves. The last Assassin managed to fend off several of Rider's soldiers only to be torn apart by metallic tentacles empowered by magic. A long-haired man in a surprisingly-modern business ensemble under a red cloak lit a cigar as liquid metal formed a maid beside him, and then he nodded at Rider. Rider nodded back, looked around and seeing no sign of any more Assassins raised his sword into the air before shouting his victory cry. And as jubilant cries of victory filled the air around them, Sabre could only look on with sadness.

A few minutes later and with reality reasserted, Rider loaded the cask of wine back in his chariot. "Well that's all for tonight I guess…" he said. "…Archer, I look forward to our next battle. But before that, we must really finish that flagon of wine at the least."

Archer just smirked in reply as he stood. "Farewell to you Caster…" Rider told her, and the Servant of the Spell and her Master bowed. "…I still don't know who you are, but I respect your wish, no matter how selfish it may seem."

"King of Conquerors…!" Sabre began only to be cut off by a wave of Rider's arm.

"That's enough Sabre." he said without even looking at her. "I don't consider you a king anymore…wake up little girl, before you lose even what makes you a hero as well."

The other Masters and Servants could only look on as Rider and Waver left back to the sky. "Don't let yourself be affected so much…" Archer told Sabre, who fixed him with a glare in reply. Archer calmly met her gaze, and added "…your ideals are childish, but they are what make you who you are. Be strong King of Knights, and perhaps you may yet prove worthy of my love."

Archer strode towards and past Caster and Sakura, only to pause abruptly. "You gave her your blood." He said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Caster replied. _What else could she say?_

Archer smiled. "Then raise her well princess." He said as he slowly dissolved into golden light. "I did not think it possible that a child of this dull era could take the blood of our time without dying…there may yet be hope for Humanity after all."

Left alone with the Knight of the Sword, Caster paused before leaving. "Sabre…" she began hesitantly. "…I do not agree with what the King of Conquerors said, but…"

"You said that I do not truly believe in what I said." Sabre interrupted.

"…if you truly believe in your ideals…" Caster continued. "…then why are you willing to take the risk that whatever may save your kingdom may also see everything you hold dear cast aside?"

"I…"

"Sabre…" Caster said. "I ask once again: do you truly value the loyalty of those who stood by you to the end? I am sorry if I am too harsh but…"

"…I understand…" Sabre interrupted her again. "…and thank you. You…I must think the matter over at length."

Caster nodded and together with Sakura vanished in a swirl of collapsed space. "Sabre…" Irisviel said in concern.

"Back then…" Sabre said. "…there were those who said that I could not comprehend Human emotions. Were…were they right…all this time?"

* * *

><p>"Are you certain Kirei?" Tokiomi Tohsaka asked in shock, and Kirei bowed. The Assassins had perished to the last man, but Kirei had finally gotten a glimpse of Caster's enigmatic Master. Her appearance had changed greatly, but her eyes and the red ribbon in her hair were unmistakable.<p>

"Yes…" the priest answered. "…Caster's Master is Sakura Matou."

The sound of breaking glass filled Tokiomi's private chambers as the enraged magus threw his wineglass onto the ground. "Damn Zouken!" he spat in uncharacteristic anger. "It's bad enough that I had to surrender my daughter to him, but he allowed Sakura to become a Master?"

"Don't be so foolish Tokiomi." Archer drawled as he walked into the room, and forcing Tokiomi to pull himself together with a visible effort lest he do something that would lead to a most unpleasant demise. "There is no way someone like Caster would bow to that walking corpse of an associate of yours. Nor would she allow anything that belongs to her to do so. She may be a lowly magician, but she is still from the Age of the Gods. Her pride and dignity is worth more. That mongrel has no connection at all to her or to your daughter."

"Your Majesty I respectfully request…"

"Denied…!" Archer interrupted. "You are unworthy of that girl. Children are gifts, a great treasure that even I would not take from their parents, and you threw it away so callously. And besides Caster has taken the child as her own…"

Archer paused and smiled. "…a Human of this age with the blood of our era…" he said with delight and with his crimson eyes bright. "…a single point of light in this dark age, but it is bright!"

"Kirei…" Tokiomi said after several moments and Archer's words had finally sunk in. "…Sakura is…"

"Unfortunately it would seem that Caster has in fact performed blood adoption on Sakura." He said. "All appearances would suggest…"

"Suggest…?" Archer echoed before turning his viper-like eyes on the pair who immediately bowed low. "There is no possibility. It is certainty. That girl carries the princess' blood, the blood of the Age of the Gods. It is a shame that your blood still taints her flesh Tokiomi, but I suppose it will just be another challenge for her to overcome before she can reach greater heights. You should feel honoured."

"It is as you say." Tokiomi said, and after another moment Archer scoffed in disgust before turning to leave. Once the Servant was out of earshot the magus turned to the priest. "Do not allow my wife or daughter to discover this!"

Kirei bowed and Tokiomi dismissed him immediately. Left alone in his chambers, Tokiomi rubbed his face wearily. "Sakura…" he whispered. "…what have I done?"

* * *

><p>Caster affectionately patted Sakura on her head, the girl having fallen asleep almost immediately after she'd lain down shortly after they'd arrived. Caster left her daughter to sleep the night away, and thought about the changed situation while heading out of the temple. Assassin had been allied to Tokiomi, and Archer was technically the man's Servant. She'd bet an entire fleet of triremes that Tokiomi would soon know that his daughter was her Master.<p>

_He cannot be allowed to take her back._

This wasn't good. They knew where she was, and once Archer discovered Berserker's affiliation with her it was unlikely King Gilgamesh would continue to hold goodwill towards her. It seemed that they might need to vacate Ryuudo Temple very soon. If so, then she had to eliminate Zouken Matou before Byakuya Matou could fulfil his end of their agreement.

_I wanted to wait a little longer, but I guess I don't really have much choice now._

Pulling her cloak close, she teleported from the temple to across the street from the Matou Estate, and briefly checked the magical defences of her quarry. It was formidable…for a modern magus. The bounded fields would paralyze anyone who entered with hostile intent, and would drain the prana of any hostile magus. Large numbers of familiars lurked just beneath the surface.

"_Thankfully I've prepared for that._" She thought. "_And thankfully Rider's arrival earlier this night hadn't spilled any poison on me. That would be most troublesome._"

Caster paused and wondered: why was she going this far for Sakura? Why did she even go so far as to perform blood adoption? She was Medea, the Witch of Betrayal – all her life she'd been a tool for other people, and had treated others as they had treated her. What made Sakura so different?

_A second chance…_

Caster smiled bitterly and shook her head while drawing Rule Breaker. "_The reason doesn't matter…_" she thought as she crossed the street and her own bounded field fell into place. "_…I've come to care for her too much, and I suppose that's reason enough. For good or ill our fates are now bound together._"

Caster raised her Noble Phantasm, and lazily dragged it against the metal bars of the gates. She felt the bounded fields collapse at the touch of her weapon's blade, and with a snap of her fingers, the gates swung inwards. "Death has arrived." She said smugly, swinging her Noble Phantasm through the air and collapsing secondary and backup bounded fields as they came to life.

She felt the familiars stir beneath the ground, while an aged and diseased mind cower fearfully ahead. Caster sneered, and she opened several portals into an alternate space wherein she kept her mystic codes. No doubt King Gilgamesh would not be pleased that she'd taken a leaf from his book but that was a problem for another day.

Hollow bladed daggers slid from the portals, glass hilts filled with powerful toxins. With another snap of her fingers, Caster sent them plunging into the ground, the poison swiftly emptying and spreading through the soil. Caster smirked as the grass wilted and trees shrivelled within seconds, knowing that the familiars had also perished.

_Child's play…_

The poison was a masterpiece, fast acting but just as quickly degenerating into harmless compounds after use. Well, if they intended to live here then there was point in turning it into a permanently-toxic wasteland. Caster waved an arm and blasted the doors into the manor to splinters. "Was that really necessary?" Byakuya complained from the second floor. "That door wasn't cheap!"

"I'll fix it later." Caster said as she rose into the air with her staff in hand. She pointed it at the ground and fired a bolt of lightning that blew a hole through the floor and into the basement. Byakuya made a gurgling sound and Caster rolled her eyes. "I'll fix that too, now stop worrying. In a few moments you'll be free of that walking corpse."

Caster floated down into the basement, a ball of energy flickering to life in one hand and lighting her and her surroundings up. "Caster…" Zouken said as he spotted her from his place within the pit. "…this is an unpleasant surprise."

"There's no point in trying to escape." She commented. "I've sealed off the entire area."

"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement." The old man desperately asked even as Byakuya arrived through the basement door.

"I've already set up a better arrangement." Caster said dismissively, and then she hurled the energy sphere into the pit. Zouken cried out, and then the air was filled with the greedy sound of flames lapping up fuel and burning with delight. Caster smiled and said a word, and Byakuya shrank back with a mixed expression of shock and awe as streams of fire formed wolf-like bodies and leapt out of the pit to cleanse the surrounding catacombs with purifying fire.

Caster floated down and set foot on the floor, and she gestured at Byakuya. The man swallowed and walked towards her, no doubt wondering if he'd exchanged one tyrant for another. Caster rolled her eyes at the thought and made her way to the niche in the wall where the container for Zouken's soul worm was kept.

"Would you care to do the honours, my dear brother?" she asked as she took the vessel and held it out to him. Byakuya swallowed again before taking the vessel with shaking hands. The man held it up, and looked on all that was left of Zouken through the glass container. Unlike the other familiars, this one looked more like an amoeba than a worm. The man thought about everything he'd lost to Zouken: his pride...his dignity…even his wife…with a snarl of hatred the man threw the glass container to the ground where it shattered before his booted foot came down and crushed Zouken's soul beneath the heel.

Caster smiled, knowing that across the city entire underground caches of familiars were dying all at the same time as the will and power which gave them life finally left the world. _Good riddance…_

"Now what…?" Byakuya asked with a deep breath. Caster shrugged and looked around.

"Now we fix this place up before Sakura returns." She said. Byakuya snorted as he remembered just how dilapidated and run down the whole place was even after they or rather Zouken had patched it up after Caster was summoned here a year ago.

"There's an understatement if I've ever heard one."

* * *

><p>AN

Zouken is dead, but now Tokiomi knows what's happened to Sakura. Gil of course still doesn't like him, so there's nothing he can do about it, unless he wants to come down with a serious case of being dead.


	11. Chapter 11

Early update…what? I was bored.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 11

"Alright, what's the verdict?" Byakuya Matou asked as he sat at a table the morning after Zouken's death. Opposite him was Caster, who was currently fiddling around with some kind of alchemical apparatus. Apart from a blood sample, she'd also scanned his body with some kind of spell that left him feeling a little nauseous. Either that or it was hangover.

"Well there's the good news and the bad news." She replied.

"Alright what's the bad news?" Byakuya clarified with resignation.

"Well for starters you're addicted." Caster answered cheerfully, and Byakuya snorted.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Your liver is seriously damaged, although it's not critical – yet." She continued. "Your kidneys are also damaged, although not to the same extent. I've also found a lot of built-up toxins and other non-beneficial substances in your blood."

"And the good news is…?"

"The damage is bad, but not to the point where I have to rebuild your body from scratch. I could do that, but it's extremely troublesome even for me. At any rate we'll start by getting rid of your alcoholism and cleaning your blood. Also, even after magical treatment you'll have to work to get your body into shape. Even with magic there's only so much that I can do."

Caster held out a hand and portals opened into her storage space and dropped out a pair of vials, one filled with a dark red fluid, and the other with a purplish one. She handed him the red vial first, and Byakuya took it suspiciously but didn't drink it at once. "That should get rid of your alcoholism although you might have mild…how would modern Humans call…withdrawal symptoms? Anyway it'll do the job better than any modern drug or method can."

Byakuya eyed the vial suspiciously for another moment before sighing and opening it. He made a face as he drank the sickeningly-sweet fluid. "That's a good boy." Caster said mockingly, and he glared at her. She just smiled wider at his glare before dropping a drop of blood into the other vial. The purple fluid glowed and began to clear. "I knew you were an alcoholic…" Caster explained. "…so I prepared this after our first meeting. Although it wasn't quite finished without your blood; now drink."

Sighing, Byakuya took the offered vial and drank it. His eyes bulged at the horrific flavour but he didn't dare spit it out, and forced it down instead. "That's terrible!" he gasped out once he was done. "What's it made of?"

Caster laughed. "Gods, you really do not want to know." She answered gleefully, and Byakuya decided to let the matter go.

"That will clean my blood?" he asked instead as he set the empty vial down on the table and Caster nodded.

"Yes, although there will be a few side-effects over the next few hours."

"Side-effects…?" Byakuya began suspiciously, only to grimace as he felt his innards rumble. After a moment he abruptly stood and began walking quickly towards the nearest toilet while slightly doubled-over.

"Well yes…" Caster said while rubbing the back of her head with amused embarrassment. "…the toxins and wastes do have to come out one way or another."

"**MEDEA…!**"

Sakura was walking towards the kitchen after fixing her room – with mixed emotions considering the last time she was in this house she nearly ended up getting thrown into something from a nightmare – only to pause and blink in surprise as Byakuya rushed out of the kitchen and made a quick beeline for the toilet. "Uncle…?"

"Sorry Sakura…" the man said in passing and walking faster. "…but nature calls!"

Sakura blinked again and quickly made for the kitchen…and blinked – this time with her mouth falling open – at the sight of her usually elegant mother laughing away. "Mom…?" she asked. "What's wrong with uncle?"

"Well…" Caster began while struggling to recover her composure. "…as modern Humans like to say, when you have to go, you have to go."

"What…?"

Coughing Caster stood and motioned for Sakura to follow her. Sakura made to obey, only to hesitate briefly as Caster went down into the basement. "Sakura…" Caster began as they walked down. "…what's our elemental affinity?"

"Wind and ether…?"

"Correct…" Caster said with a nod, and then she conjured up a ball of flame in one hand. A snap of her wrist, and the fireball flared and split into glowing streams of blue fire that quickly took lupine forms. "…and yet I can use fire. How would this be possible?"

Sakura lowered her head thoughtfully as she and her mother stood amidst the ruins of Zouken Matou's workshop. "You used a mystic code."

Caster nodded. "Again correct…" she said and flashing a ring she was wearing at Sakura. "…but while on the surface the lesson is that one can circumvent the limitations of elemental magecraft – at least to an extent as even with mystic codes there are certain aspects of the elements that can't be take advantage of without the proper affinity – with the proper preparation, there's a deeper truth beneath it. What is it?"

Sakura frowned and thought about the matter some more. "Come on Sakura…" Caster encouraged her. "…elemental magecraft is a specific application of it. The idea behind the lesson is more general."

After several moments an expression of dawning comprehension appeared on the little girl's face. "I see!" she said. "If you can't solve the problem directly, then go around it!"

"That's a good girl!" Caster beamed, and patted Sakura on the head. "Yes, that is indeed the lesson. One might even say that everything I've thought you about how to work people and the world around you is an expression of that fundamental idea."

"Everything about magic is an expression too, isn't it?" Sakura asked as she followed Caster out of the basement.

Caster nodded. "Yes…" she confirmed. "…although our magecraft – the magecraft of the Age of the Gods – is somewhat…confusing by modern standards."

"Huh?"

"Modern magecraft takes advantage of the laws of the world to make miracles happen." Caster replied. "We on the other hand, make miracles happen simple because. It's similar to the Authority possessed by the Divine Spirits, although that's to be expected given our abilities."

Sakura nodded in her turn. "Divine Words…" she whispered in awe both of her mother's and her own ability to speak the words of the gods. "…it simply is."

The two made their way back to the ground floor, and Sakura snickered at the hole in the floor – the door had already been fixed though – while Caster smiled guiltily. "Yes well…" she said while looking at the destruction she'd wrought the previous night. "…I'll get to it…eventually."

* * *

><p>"What do you want this time?" Kiritsugu Emiya challenged the familiar as it landed on the ground in front of him.<p>

"_I propose a joint operation against Lancer tonight._" Caster replied through her familiar.

"Oh? Do tell."

"_I understand that you have certain issues with your Servant._" Caster continued. "_To that end I would like to provide my assistance in combating Lancer while you eliminate his Master._"

"What's in it for you?"

"_I want the Lord El-Melloi._"

"Interesting…" Kiritsugu mused. "…you already know that he's lost his magic so why…ah, I see. Even without his magic, he still has his knowledge. I'm surprised Caster. What would a magus from this 'dull era' have to interest you, I wonder?"

"_Wouldn't you like to know?_"

"In that case I must refuse your proposal." Kiritsugu finally said. "I've no intention of allowing you to gain a potential advantage on my watch. Now, now, don't be insulted. Both you and I know that our little truce is only temporary, and even then we're both trying to get an advantage over the other. Let's keep it discreet from the other, shall we?"

Caster laughed at his response. "_Oh very good Emiya…_" she told him. "_…well it was worth a try. Do be careful though. No doubt your methods against Lancer's Master will be…underhanded, and Sabre will not be very understanding regarding the matter. Come to think of it, why did you summon someone like her given a knight would never be accepting of the way you do things? It seems rather…_"

"Blame my employers…" Kiritsugu interrupted. "…personally I wanted to summon a Caster or an Assassin, but the Einzbern wanted a Sabre-class, and an utterly first-class one at that."

"_I see…_" Caster said. "_…well anyway watch yourself, lest your own Servant turn against you._"

"I'll keep that in mind." Kiritsugu said with a tone of dismissal, and Caster huffed telepathically before her familiar flew away.

"Was it wise to refuse her proposal?" Maiya Hisau asked once the familiar had left, and Kiritsugu snorted.

"She expected us to refuse." He replied much to her surprise. "She was trying to see how far she could manipulate us. If we'd accepted, she'd have stabbed us in the back the moment Lancer was defeated. But she let something slip here: she wants something from the Lord El-Melloi."

"What could a modern magus have or know that an ancient one would be interested in?"

"I don't know, but we have to kill both the Lord El-Melloi and his partner before Caster gets her hands on them." Kiritsugu replied. "Something tells me that whatever she wants could only mean trouble for us in the long term. We'll proceed with the plan, so I'll leave keeping Iri safe to you for tonight."

"I understand."

* * *

><p>Rin Tohsaka carefully and quietly followed her mother's trail, Aoi having gone to the bakery hours ago but had never actually reached it according to the shopkeepers. Something was very wrong here, but while the rational part of her mind told Rin to wait for either Kirei or her father to do something about it, she'd gone to look for her mother on her own after she'd called the church and asked Father Risei to warn her father.<p>

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice asked her, and she quickly turned to see a jacketed Sakura looking at her quizzically.

"Ginevra…?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura grimaced internally – she could hardly tell Rin that she'd been watching her through a water mirror. "I followed you." she said instead. "Are you looking for something? Or are you playing hide and seek?"

"I…" Rin began hesitantly. She could hardly involve an acquaintance of her into this, but to use mental interference seemed a bit dangerous to her. She had only begun to learn how to use it, and she was afraid she might accidentally damage Ginevra's mind with an amateur's mistake. On the other hand she'd brought a few gems with her, and she felt more confident in protecting both Ginevra and her mother once they'd saved her from the creep who'd kidnapped her. "…I'm looking for my mother." She finally said. "She went out hours ago but she never got to where she was going. Some creep probably got to her, so I'm going to save her."

_Well, wasn't that interesting? Talk about poetic justice._

"Shouldn't you let the grown-ups handle this Rin?" Sakura asked. Rin just huffed in response before storming off to continue following her mother's trail.

"By the time they get something done, something bad will probably have happened to my mother." She said somewhat irritably and Sakura smiled slightly. Her sister was still her sister it would seem. She reached back and pulled out a couple of strands of her hair. She didn't want to expose her sister to the war so she couldn't involve her mother in this, but her father was different. Holding the strands in her hand Sakura blew on them and sent them flying into the air.

"_Find my father and that priest of his and have them follow us as soon as possible._" She ordered the pseudo-familiars – they would only last for a single use before collapsing – before following her sister. "Rin wait!"

"You're coming along…?"

"The more the merrier, right…?" Sakura asked, and despite herself Rin actually smiled. For the next two hours the two girls carefully followed the trail traced by Rin's tracking spell across the city to an abandoned construction site near the river.

"This is it." Rin said as they looked up at the unfinished building in the afternoon light. "By the way…"

"What is it?"

"…you never once asked how I knew my mother was here." Rin asked suspiciously. "Are you a magus too?"

"Am I what…?" Sakura asked, feigning ignorance although inside she was sweating bullets.

Rin shook her head in dismissal, though inside she swore to satisfy her suspicions about Ginevra…something about her didn't add up now that she thought about it. "It's nothing." She said instead. "Come on, let's go save my mom."

But although she tried her best to focus on the matter at hand, she couldn't help but wonder about Ginevra. As they wandered across the labyrinthine and desolate structure, Rin thought about everything she knew about the other girl. The French name…come to think of it, weren't there supposed to be foreign magi in the city involved in the Holy Grail War like her father? Ginevra's mother was here to work…could her mother be…? There was also the blue hair…it was impossible for a person have blue hair…it couldn't be!

_Did she only become my friend just to stab me in the back? Was this all a ploy by her mother or her master to use her against her father? Was she even sure Ginevra – if that's really her name – wasn't behind her mother's abduction?_

"Ginevra are you…" she began to ask only to realize the blue-haired girl wasn't with her anymore. Icy talons of despair and betrayal closed around her heart. "Ginevra…!"

Sakura floated up to the second floor and walked past the empty rooms and through the desolate hallways, ignoring the faint echoes of her sister's shouts from the ground floor. "_She's gotten suspicious…_" Sakura thought to herself. "_…then again sister's never been stupid. She'd have caught on eventually._"

"Hello little girl…" an orange-haired young man asked with a smile from down a corridor as she turned a corner. "…what are you doing in my art workshop?"

Sakura blinked and cocked a blue eyebrow at the madman now slowly walking towards her. She hadn't quite started really learning psychology or reading people yet, but she knew this person before her wasn't quite…right in the head. A twitch of her finger and an illusion made her appear to fade away like an apparition, and stopped Uryuu Ryuunosuke in his tracks.

"Whoa…" the young man said not in fear or shock, but in awe. "…did I just see a ghost? **COOL!**"

The invisible Sakura felt her mouth fall as Uryuu celebrated his apparent meeting with a ghost. And then they both heard something fall loudly down on the ground floor accompanied by a girl's shriek. "Oh my…" Uryuu said but without any hint of alarm. "…looks like someone really did get in my workshop."

The madman capered off, and Sakura briefly wondered if she should try stopping him.

_Nah, my sister probably has a few gems with her._

Instead the blue-haired girl strode along the corridor in the direction Uryuu had come from…and sure enough she hit the jackpot – in an empty room was a gagged and tied Aoi Tohsaka, stripped to her underwear and with bleeding cuts and lacerations around her shoulders and limb joints. Sakura sighed as she dropped her illusion, and the battered and resigned Aoi's eyes widened at the sight of a little girl appearing out of nowhere in front of her.

"As much as I would love to see you get hurt Mrs Tohsaka…" Sakura said while walking towards and around her. "…it would make Rin sad. We can't have that now, can we?"

Aoi narrowed her eyes at the girl. _What was Ginevra doing here? And what did she mean by that?_

Sakura paused and noticed several knives and other cutting tools laid out on a piece of cloth behind Aoi. "Cruelty has its place…" she conceded while reciting one of her mother's lessons on how to hurt people. "…but physical torture is crude and barbaric. Mental torment on the other hand is more elegant and refined."

Chuckling, Sakura reached up and tugged one of her locks of hair. She had two framing her face, one on each side, the one on the right held in place by a silver clip worked into a comet design, and the other held in place by a red ribbon. "I know I look different, but seriously, this ribbon is such an obvious clue."

Aoi focused on the ribbon…and then her eyes went wide. _No…it can't be…oh my God…!_

"Yes, it's me." Sakura confirmed with a voice dripping with venom and sounding – much to her delight and to Aoi's horror – like her mother. "I'm not as dead as father would like you to believe."

"What's this?" Uryuu said as he appeared at the door. "I heard voices so I came back. Amazing…you're not a ghost, hey teach me how you did that disappearing trick!"

Sakura stayed silent, instead moving back towards a completed section of wall while Uryuu entered the room and casually stood in the light from the incomplete wall behind him. The two of them tensed, Sakura preparing an elemental attack while Uryuu preparing to pounce on an apparently helpless prey when the two of them were distracted by the sound of footsteps and within moments Rin appeared at the doorframe with gems clutched in one hand. "Mom!" she shouted at the sight of Aoi.

Sakura recovered first, crackling sheets of lightning erupting from both hands and striking Uryuu in the chest and coursing across his body. The young man cried out in agony as his clothes burst into flame and flesh blackened and smoked…and then he screamed as the sheer force of impact sent him flying through the open space behind him.

"What the…?" Tokiomi burst out as he and Kirei arrived just in time to see a young man fall screaming from the second floor to fall with a sickening crack on the ground. "Kirei…!"

The priest nodded and swiftly reinforced his legs to jump up to the second floor, just in time to see Sakura Matou turn her lightning against the nearest wall and just as quickly attempt to flee through the resulting hole. "Wait, Sakura Matou!" he shouted while preparing to go after her.

With a snarl Sakura whirled, her arm held up and her command spells glowing. "One word and my mother will be here!" she hissed, and Kirei stopped in his tracks. A Servant – even as physically weak as Caster – was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

"An interesting statement my dear…" Tokiomi said coolly as he too jumped up to the second floor, albeit with a much more graceful landing. He too then held up his arm and flashed his command spells. "…and yet I too have command spells of my own, as you can see." Sakura tensed and grimaced in response, facing down her father and running through all the spells she knew.

_This was a very bad idea. Maybe she needed to have thought this matter some more. Her sister wasn't stupid after all. She might have gone after a madman, but she would have contacted her father and his priest. Come to think of it…she contacted them too…definitely not a good idea now that she thought about it…_

"I must say that I'm impressed Sakura." Tokiomi complimented her while Kirei untied Aoi and began healing her injuries, Rin and her mother alike gaping at Sakura. "To have become a Master at such a young age – though without a doubt by accident – and to survive blood adoption to a Heroic Spirit…you will truly be a magnificent magus. Zouken and his ilk are unworthy of you."

"Zouken Matou is dead." Sakura informed him, and the man chuckled.

"Indeed…" he said with satisfaction much to Sakura's frustration.

_Does nothing ever faze father?_

* * *

><p>AN

Well, let's leave it at that for now. What did you expect, Sakura's still a kid. She may be powerful enough to pull a Darth Sidious on Uryuu (she did to him what the Emperor did to Yoda at the beginning of their duel in Revenge of the Sith only in his case it sent him plummeting to his death), but she clearly did not think the matter through.

_Or maybe she still cares for Aoi even if she won't admit it…_

(insert sound of lightning being used to torture the author here)

Ahem…moving on…anyway my earlier description of Divine Words is actually a logical hypotheses based on canon definition. "…power to activate thaumaturgy without the use of magic circuits…" couple that with the very name of the skill/sorcery trait and it's a dead ringer for the 'Authority' possessed by Divine Spirits.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 12

"Kirei-kun…" Tokiomi Tohsaka asked. "…I believe this is what the mundane Humans call a 'Mexican Standoff' is it not?"

"That is correct." Kirei Kotomine confirmed and Tokiomi chuckled.

"A crude but surprisingly amusing term." He conceded.

"So what now father?" Sakura Matou snarled. "How long are we going to stare at each other like this?"

"Well…" Tokiomi began as though the answer was patently obvious. "…that depends entirely on you. I will admit that giving you away to Matou was a mistake. Your core potential is clearly greater than I initially believed."

_Mom, I need you._

"And so you intend to take her back...?" Another woman's voice asked, and Aoi and Rin gasped as space collapsed and Caster materialized hooded and cloaked. Tokiomi lost his smile at her appearance, while Sakura stepped smugly behind her. "You have a lot of nerve Tokiomi Tohsaka after you so casually threw a little girl into that den of nightmares."

"The life of a magus is a harsh one." Tokiomi said resolutely before shaking his head. "For such a powerful magus, it seems you lack understanding of this basic tenet of our kind."

Sakura ground her teeth and Caster looked at him with disgust. "Quite…" she said before grabbing onto Sakura's shoulder. "…unfortunately I've no intention of letting you have Sakura back. She belongs to me now, as would be obvious to anyone with the eyes to see."

"What…?" Aoi asked and Caster looked at her as though she'd found a disgusting insect to crush with her foot.

"I said she was mine." She replied. "Are you deaf?"

"Tokiomi…Sakura…I…I don't understand…" Aoi said, unwilling to accept the truth.

"Blood adoption Mrs Tohsaka…" Sakura said contemptuously, and Rin and Aoi alike recoiled in horror. "…you…you may have birthed me, but you are not my mother anymore."

"What's with the expression of anguish on your face?" Caster said with cruel amusement. "You sold her didn't you? You obviously have no care for her, so stop pretending that you do."

"…no…I…I didn't…!" Aoi gasped out, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. Tokiomi growled but made no move of his own. Kirei tensed, only to discover himself frozen by a spell as Caster briefly glanced at him. Caster snorted contemptuously and looked at Rin.

"I'd be careful if I were you child." She advised her. "Who knows…? Your parents may yet whore you out in the future."

"How dare you?" Rin shouted back, only to meet Sakura's matching eyes across the distance. She felt magic flow through the air and briefly felt Zouken's clammy touch on her skin, and saw the pit filled with countless worms and other vile abominations in her mind's eye. Sakura looked away sadly, and Rin collapsed backwards onto the ground with an expression of shock and betrayal on her face. "No…" she gasped, shaking her head and looking back and forth between her stoic father and her weeping mother. "…father, mother…how could you?"

"You go too far Sakura." Tokiomi said coldly.

"You have no right to say that." Caster disagreed. "You may remain her father, but any and all privileges that it brings are forfeited for the way you have treated your own flesh and blood."

Tokiomi snarled, only to be forestalled by Caster's smile. "You do realize that the only way Archer can appear here in an instant is for you to use a command spell, unlike I who possess the knowledge of how to travel without moving. But from the look of things you've already used one. I've no doubt King Gilgamesh was most displeased by your…impudence." She laughed loudly at the resulting stunned expression on his face, and Sakura smiled as well. "Yes, I know who His Majesty truly is. By all means, court his wrath at being treated as a pet dog."

This time it was Tokiomi's turn to grind his teeth in frustration. "Go…" he ground out, and Caster smirked maliciously before teleporting away with Sakura. The magus took a deep breath, and turned only to find his wife crying her heart out, and Rin cowering in a corner, looking at him and at her mother with a fearful expression. Kirei looked on, his face impassive but inwardly troubled at the feelings of joy sweeping him up at the sight of the Tohsaka tearing themselves apart.

_Why? Why do I enjoy people hurting so much? Why?_

* * *

><p>"What's wrong Sakura?" Caster asked shortly after they reappeared inside Matou Manor, and the memories of earlier experiences began to percolate.<p>

"I…I killed someone." Sakura replied after a moment, and Caster pulled back her hood before kneeling down and stroking her face comfortingly. They had discussed taking lives before, but this was the first time Sakura had ever taken a life. As might be expected, it left her conflicted on the inside.

"Sakura…" she began. "…it's alright."

"But…!"

"Killing is only wrong if it isn't done for a good reason." Caster reminded her while running a hand through Sakura's blue hair. "What would have happened if that man you killed had been spared?"

"He…he was…wrong in the head." Sakura explained while fighting down the guilt and letting rationality take over. "He would have hurt sister."

"And you might have been hurt too." Caster finished and Sakura nodded. "There's no need to feel guilty. You defended yourself and your sister. And if he was truly a madman, then you did everyone else a service by getting rid of him."

Sakura smiled weakly, and Caster smiled back before Sakura quickly embraced her. Caster blinked in surprise, before embracing her back and continuing to run her hand through Sakura's hair. "Your hair's getting long. Are you trying to look like me?"

"Is that wrong?" Sakura asked back, and Caster laughed softly.

"No, I suppose not." Caster replied before standing. "Anyway just remember Sakura, while there is no need to kill unless necessary, when you need to it is better to kill than to be killed or harmed yourself."

Sakura felt the guilt return but this time she quickly fought it down. "I'll remember."

Caster patted her on the head, and led the way to the dining room. "Sorry about not thinking things through." Sakura apologized. "It won't happen again."

"So long as you learn from your mistakes this time, then it's alright." Caster assured her while reading a note from Byakuya. Apparently, he'd gone out to buy something called 'take-out'.

_What's that?_

"What do we do next?" Sakura asked, and Caster put the note down before answering.

"We wait. Emiya is planning to finish things with Lancer tonight, and while he refused my assistance, he never said anything about our friend. You know who I mean right?"

Sakura smiled a familiar smile, and Caster laughed at the sight. It was like looking into a mirror. _Everything is as it should be._

* * *

><p>Lancer felt Sabre's approach long before she actually arrived, and quickly excused himself from where the puppet-master was putting the finishing touches on Kayneth's new puppet body. "With respect my lord…" the man told Kayneth as the fallen magus' eyes followed his fiancée going after Lancer. "…please remain focused on the task at hand. It will be finished shortly, and you may return your attention to the contest."<p>

"And you'll be gone as well…?" Kayneth muttered, and the puppet-master smiled as he performed the final adjustments.

"The contest for the Grail is no concern of mine." He said. "My family's craft is and always has been puppetry. At the risk of sounding cowardly, I've no intention of dying here before I get the chance to pass on my art to my son."

"Humph…" Kayneth scoffed but there was a hint of respect in his voice. "…well at the very least you have proper adherence to magi traditions. Though I wish I still weren't confined to…this wheelchair."

"I'm sorry my lord…" the man said apologetically as he finished and Kayneth raised an arm and clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly. "…but as I've explained the sympathetic damage to your soul from the destruction of your magic circuits has…"

"Damn Emiya…" Kayneth interrupted. "…I'll make him pay for this."

"…if I may take my leave my lord…?" the puppet-master asked as the sounds of battle somewhere nearby began to be heard inside the hideout. Kayneth nodded and indicated the envelope carrying the man's pay lying on a nearby table. The man took the pay and after taking his coat, bowed out and taking an alternative route away from the hideout. For his part Kayneth made his way towards the battle.

He was just about to exit the ruined warehouse when he felt cold steel being pressed against his neck. "Don't move." Kiritsugu told him silently.

"Emiya…! You bastard…!"

Kiritsugu sighed and made to reply when he felt the arrival of another Servant…and a powerful one at that.

"Damn it…!" the man swore as he pulled out a radio to warn Irisviel and Maiya. "_What power…_" he wondered darkly. _"…is it Archer? Or is it Berserker? Either possibility is bad…perhaps I shouldn't have turned down Caster's assistance after all._"

* * *

><p>Berserker swung his halberd towards Lancer, who blocked with Gae Buidhe. The Knight of the Lance managed to avoid decapitation, only to be sent flying several metres down the street. Sabre charged in from the side, her sword held at a low guard. Berserker caught all of her slashes with his halberd, and with a roar Sabre brought down her sword in a two-handed blow while simultaneously releasing all of the force contained within Invisible Air's sheath of wind.<p>

The explosion of wind erupted outwards, throwing Lancer backwards to the ground hard even as he rushed to re-join the battle. Sola was also forced to run behind a nearby wall for cover, not that it actually did her any good, the wall collapsing onto her as the wind slammed into it. Despite the risk, Maiya Hisau jumped down from a nearby window and ran towards the unconscious woman.

Meanwhile Sabre's eyes widened as Berserker not only managed to block her attack but did so without taking any apparent damage. Berserker actually smiled at the dumbfounded expression on her face before pushing her back and stabbing forward, his Noble Phantasm flashing as God Force was invoked. Sabre caught it…and was sent flying through two buildings behind her, the last of which collapsed on top of the stunned blonde.

"Sabre…!" Lancer shouted in concern. "Mad dog…!"

Berserker roared in anger, and proceeded to pummel Lancer with a series of vicious slashes and stabs and pressing the Knight of the Lance hard. Meanwhile Maiya finally managed to reach and pull Sola from the rubble. She knelt down beside her and began to examine her arms thoroughly. She'd just managed to find Sola's command spells when she began to stir. Without batting an eyelid Maiya struck her with a backhanded blow on the chin, and knocked her out cold.

Taking a deep breath, Maiya drew a combat blade before hacking off the woman's arm at the elbow. Blood erupted in crimson fountains, but she quickly set up a tourniquet and an emergency bandage. Having stopped the bleeding, she nodded in satisfaction before shouldering the unconscious woman while carrying her detached arm in one hand, and then made her way to where Kiritsugu was waiting.

Sabre pulled herself out of the ruined building, and shaking her head to clear it turned to see Lancer barely able to defend himself against Berserker. Cursing she made to join the battle when she heard Kiritsugu's voice in her head. "_Sabre…_" he told her silently. "_…stay out of the battle. Berserker's interference is unexpected, but we can use this._"

"_Are you serious?_" she shouted back telepathically. "_I cannot and will not leave a fellow knight to die!_"

"_I see…_" Kiritsugu replied, and to Sabre's horror she felt a command spell being used. "_…then you leave me no choice. By the power of a command spell, I order you stand down until otherwise ordered or until after Lancer and his Master have fallen._"

"_How dare you, Kiritsugu Emiya…?_"

"_I dare because I can, and because this is the quickest way to victory._"

"_Damn you…!_"

* * *

><p>"Sola…!" Kayneth cried out at the sight of Maiya and the bloody and unconscious Sola. He was forestalled from saying anything further when Kiritsugu thrust a scroll into his hands.<p>

"Read it." Kiritsugu told him while Maiya dumped Sola against Kayneth's wheelchair and gave him the arm containing Lancer's command spells.

"A geis…" Kayneth whispered in recognition, and he quickly opened it and read out the terms dictated within. "…on the crest of the Emiya Clan, provided that the condition is met, this oath shall become a commandment and bind the target without exception. The oath is: to the Fifth Head of the Emiya Clan, Kiritsugu son of Noritaka - regarding both Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi and Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, all intentions and actions to kill and harm shall be forbidden for all eternity. The condition is: use up all the command spells, and let the Servant finish himself."

Kayneth's eyes trembled as he reread the geis, and noted the blood-written signature of Kiritsugu at the bottom. All that was needed to bind the geis was his signature. "Sola…" he whispered while looking at the unconscious woman leaning against his wheelchair. And then he looked to the battle in the distance. "…but if I do this…the only hope to regain my magic…"

His eyes widened as he saw Kiritsugu sheath his knife only to pull a gun and point it at his head. "Your partner is enamoured with Lancer…" Kiritsugu said. "…who in turn is evenly matched against Sabre…this solves both our problems, doesn't it?"

"…_Archibald's pride…the honour of my family…_" Kayneth thought brokenly as he stared down the barrel of Kiritsugu's Calico, and then he looked at Sola, and then towards the battlefield. "_…can I just throw it all away?_"

Kiritsugu tossed Sola's bloody arm at him, and then walked around to point the gun at Sola's forehead. Kayneth glared at him. "Is this how you fight Emiya…?" he ground. "Without pride or honour…?"

Kiritsugu smiled without mirth. "Neither of those have any meaning on the battlefield…" he said. "…or when victory is attained…"

"Your Servant…" Kayneth whispered. "…she's a knight too. Will she accept this?"

"…no…" Kiritsugu conceded. "…she won't. But she'll continue to fight for the Holy Grail regardless."

"The Holy Grail…" Kayneth said forlornly. "…how am I supposed to fulfil this, when I can't use magic to reclaim my command spells?"

"That's not a problem." Kiritsugu said as he lowered his Calico, and a reluctant Irisvel walked out from behind them and taking Kayneth's hand and Sola's arm, began the spell-work needed to transfer command spells from one person to another.

* * *

><p>Caster clapped her hands while Sakura looked on with mixed revulsion and approval at the sight of Lancer stabbing himself with both of his spears, and then to be crushed into the ground by a vicious, two-handed blow from Berserker. "Very good Emiya…" she said. "…how will you deal with the angry Sabre though? Anyway that's enough Berserker, return to Ryuudo Temple."<p>

To her and Sakura's surprise, Berserker rejected the order, instead leaping forward to attack Sabre with a roar. "He's not obeying." Sakura observed, and Caster sighed.

"Lu Bu…" she muttered darkly. "…what an annoying bastard…"

Holding up her arm, one of command spells flared and then vanished. "…by the power of a command spell, I command you to return to Ryuudo Temple!" she snarled, and through the viewing sphere Berserker parried a blow from Sabre before striking the ground in frustration and vanishing into astral form.

"Mom…" Sakura opined. "…perhaps Berserker's too dangerous."

"You think so too, huh?" Caster said. "Yes, perhaps he's more trouble than he's worth. But not yet…before we send him as a sacrifice to King Gilgamesh, we need to get our talons into Kotomine Kirei."

"Be careful mom…" Sakura said. "…that man is also dangerous."

"So am I."

Mother and daughter watched as Maiya executed Kayneth and Sola, the former with a shot to the head, and the latter with a pair of shots to the heart. The Einzbern moved to leave the battlefield, but it was clear from Sabre's expression that there would be a confrontation over tonight's fiasco. "Mom…?"

"Yes…?"

"Why didn't they…?"

"Ms Sola was infatuated with Lancer." Caster answered the questions before Sakura could even finish articulating them. "She'd never have betrayed him. In fact she'd probably have sacrificed the Lord El-Melloi and probably even her own life to save him. As for taking advantage of Berserker to just kill the Lord El-Melloi and his ally without the need to coerce the former to commit suicide, even if they'd done that Lancer still has a chance of escaping from battle, making a contract with another Master, and then return for revenge."

"I see."

Caster frowned and then smiled with satisfaction. "That Emiya…" she said. "…he made sure to get the Lord El-Melloi in the head, destroying his brain and any chance of recovering information from him. But he made a mistake with Ms Sola."

She snapped her fingers and several Dragon Tooth Warriors appeared from the shadows and stood at attention. "Retrieve Ms Sola's body immediately, and bring it back here. Leave the Lord El-Melloi as he is. He is of no use to us." She ordered, and the familiars bowed before turning to leave. "Wait…!" she ordered, and they paused. "Bring back any mystic codes on the lord's body and in his hideout. Apart from that addition, the earlier orders will stand."

The familiars bowed again, and then left. "Mom…" Sakura began. "…the geis stated that Emiya couldn't kill or even plan to kill the Lord El-Melloi and his girlfriend, right? But Ms Maiya killed them. If so, then could it be because the geis didn't apply to her?"

"Yes…" Caster confirmed. "…the geis only applied to Emiya, and therefore she was free to kill him and Ms Sola. No doubt the Lord El-Melloi would probably have noticed such a glaring loophole – especially with Emiya's little flunky right next to him – if not for the fact that he was in a hostage situation."

Caster sighed and shut the spell down. "Come on…" she said while guiding Sakura towards her room. "…it's time for bed…for you at least. I have some more things to do."

"Such as…?"

"Well there's analysing what mystic codes can be recovered from the Lord El-Melloi, learning what can be learned from Ms Sola, and of course, your father's priest."

Sakura looked unhappy at the last concern, but digressed from actually protesting. "Be careful mom."

"I will."

* * *

><p>Kire looked up at the night sky as he stood on guard at the corner of the street outside of the house belonging to Tokiomi's in-laws. Aoi had gone into hysterics, and actually still was, and even now Tokiomi and his in-laws were trying to calm her down and even reason with her before she turned suicidal over her guilt.<p>

_Well it is partly her fault that Sakura found a 'new' mother._

Rin of course was also affected, the girl having barricaded herself into her room and refusing to speak with or even see any of her family. Hopefully she wouldn't do anything stupid that would make things even more difficult for him than it already was.

"Guard duty…?" a familiar woman's voice asked behind him, and Kirei whirled and threw several Black Keys at Caster. The conceptual weapons destroyed the illusion, and the priest tensed and drew several more Black Keys. "You're so violent. I only want to talk you know."

Kirei relaxed slightly, and after a moment a housewife appeared down the street. "Cosplay…?" he asked sarcastically and with a raised eyebrow. Caster raised an eyebrow of her own in surprise.

"Cosplay…? What's that?"

"No, it's nothing." Kirei said while internally wondering what had gotten into him that would actually drive him to deliver what might be considered an insult to such a powerful woman. "What do you want Caster?"

Caster smiled. "I think a better question would be what do you want, Kirei Kotomine?"

Kirei's eyes widened. "What…?"

* * *

><p>AN

I don't think something as commonplace as 'take-out' would be included in the information provided by the Grail, do you? The same would probably go for cosplay (well, Medea is or rather looks like an elf).

Yes I'm aware that Caster's advice isn't exactly moral seeing as she makes murder a valid course of action when it never is, but who's going to say otherwise to her?


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 13

"I should kill you, you treacherous dog." Sabre spat in anger. Irisviel von Einzbern could only wince, while Maiya Hisau looked rather unaffected, as did Kiritsugu Emiya. "You…you have defiled my honour, and that of a Knight of Fianna…answer me then, why should I not kill you here and now?"

"If you kill me then you will lose your chance at the Holy Grail." Kiritsugu replied coolly, and Sabre snorted in response.

"I could simply make a contract with another Master…"

"True…" Kiritsugu interrupted. "…but a better question would be would they trust you? After all you would have killed your own Master. They might contract with you, but they'd probably keep you restrained with a command spell. Would you accept that? I suppose you could contract with Irisviel, but if you kill me…"

"…you disgust me." Sabre interrupted.

"…do I?" Kiritsugu asked with a smirk. "Why is that? Did you not do similar things in the past?"

"Kiritsugu…!" Irisviel said in outrage at the insinuation, but Kiritsugu held up a hand to let him finish.

"Sabre, as your Master I have seen some of your memories. You and I are not so different."

Sabre stayed silent, stonily glaring at the man. "Both you and I understand that battles are by no means pretty things. Anyone who's been on a battlefield understands this. If that is the case, would it not be better to end the battle as quickly and as bloodlessly as possible?" Kiritsugu continued. "Chivalry…honour…those things are meaningless. They do nothing but glorify war and bloodshed."

"But…those things…they…" Sabre whispered.

"Yes…" Kiritsugu said in understanding. "…they anchor you and yours on the right side of the line. Or perhaps not…let us be candid Sabre: fully half of the Knights of the Round turned against you and sided with Mordred in the end."

Sabre looked away. "What do you believe in then, Kiritsugu?" she asked in a whisper.

"I believe in the path of least bloodshed." Kiritsugu said. "One life to save ten, ten to save a hundred, a hundred to save a thousand...to sum it up, I believe that a lesser evil is justifiable so long as it contributes to a greater good." Sabre did not reply, and Kiritsugu smiled knowingly before making to leave with Maiya. "Now that you know this, ask yourself this: are we so different?"

Irisviel waited until her husband and his assistant had left before turning to Sabre. "Sabre…" she began. "…I'm sorry. Kiritsusu…"

"No…" Sabre interrupted sadly. "…he is right. We're not all that different from each other. If anything he is more admirable than I. He at the very least is honest about what he does…me? I say one thing and do something else entirely."

"What are you saying?"

"When the Saxons invaded Britain…" Sabre explained sadly. "…I had a choice whether to face them immediately or to draw them in and allow us to fight them at a more advantageous opportunity. The former would mean victory at a great cost for the men under my command. So I chose the latter, which also had the risk of allowing the invaders to gain a foothold on British soil. So I ordered all the villages in the invaders' path to be destroyed, and every field to be burned, so as to ensure that the Saxons would gain nothing in their advance but smoking ruins and acre upon acre of blackened earth."

"Scorched earth…" Irisviel whispered in horror, and Sabre nodded in confirmation.

"It worked." She continued. "When we finally struck back, the Saxons had been weakened and demoralized by their lack of gains, and were swiftly defeated. But for every voice that hailed our victory, there was another who raged against the brutality by which it was achieved, for it was undeniable that we could have won even had we not resorted to such means. And so the seeds were planted for Britain's destruction."

"...but that doesn't mean you are dishonest!" Irisviel protested.

"It does." Sabre disagreed. "I say that a king must be willing to give all to protect his kingdom, and to uphold just laws for the sake of a just reign…but at that time, I…I made the people, the ones who should have been protected, I made them bleed for the ones who should have been bleeding for them."

"Oh Sabre…"

Sabre laughed without mirth. "It would seem that the King of Conquerors is correct isn't he?" she asked much to Irisviel's horror. "It is not the king who sacrifices for the people, but it is the people who sacrifice for their king. When I sacrificed the people I attained victory, just like when the Saxons invaded. But when I sacrificed my happiness for their sake, I only ensured Britain's destruction…"

"…that's not true!"

"It is true!" Sabre exploded. "If…if I…I walked a path of self-denial, but in so doing I sacrificed the happiness of those who followed me. Guinevere, Lancelot…it's my fault. If I had been more understanding of what drives the hearts of ordinary men and women then all that need not have happened."

"Even so, the both of you are wrong!"

Sabre blinked. "What did you say?"

"The King of Conquerors derided you for upholding your ideals to the end, but he was wrong to do so." Irisviel said compassionately. "Your ideals may have been unachievable, but they were beautiful ideals that for a time brought peace and happiness to those that lived under your reign. Even if it was not a lasting peace, the sheer fact that it brought peace for a time proved that those ideals were never wrong. I would even say that the fact that you held true to them all the way to the end, is what makes you a hero."

"Irisviel…"

The homunculus smiled and walked closer. "To deny the undeniable and to make the impossible possible even for a short while…" she said. "…to remain true to what one believes in until the very end…is that not a most admirable thing? Does it not rival conquering the known world?"

"…I…"

"But Sabre, you are wrong in your desire to change the past as well." Irisviel continued, and placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders. "As Caster asked before, you do value the loyalty of those who stood by you to the end, do you not?"

"…I do!"

"Then honour their loyalty." Irisviel urged her. "Do not change the past, King of Knights. Mourn it if you must, but do not regret it. You gave your all, and it was enough to bring peace and prosperity even for a time. Be content, and believe in your people's will to carry on without you."

Sabre fell silent, thinking of times past, but no longer of the blood-stained hill of Camlann, but of Camelot at the height of its glory, and of Britain at peace, its people smiling as armoured knights kept watch over the realm. "What should I do now?" she whispered.

Irisviel smiled, and embraced Sabre comfortingly. "That is entirely up to you now." She replied. "You are the once and future King, are you not? I believe that you will find a proper reason to fight, because you are who you are."

* * *

><p>"What I want?" Kirei echoed in confusion.<p>

"Yes…" Caster confirmed. "…you are a very interesting man, Kirei Kotomine. You are someone who finds enjoyment in harming others, and yet recognize such a thing is wrong. But you cannot understand why then do you enjoy this, and this contradiction has left you an empty person."

"How did you…?"

Caster smiled poisonously. "I am very good at reading people. And your father was very informative too." She admitted. "I can very persuasive if I have to be, but rest assured: there should be no lasting harm, and he will not remember anything of what we talked about."

"You poisonous witch…!"

Caster's smile faded, and Kirei could have sworn that the ambient temperature around them dropped by a degree or so. "I would advise you never to use that term again." She said coldly, and Kirei narrowed his eyes. It seemed that Caster had a certain aversion to the word 'witch'.

"Is that all you came here to do?" he asked. "To mock me…?"

"Please…" Caster retorted while rolling her eyes. "…I would waste neither your time nor mine on such tasteless mockery."

"Then why…?"

Caster smiled again. "I came to ask: why do you fight for Tokiomi Tohsaka, when you know he cannot give you the answer that you seek? What do you stand to gain should he finally reach Akasha?"

"Akasha…? But that means…!"

"Yes, I know about the Greater Grail." Caster said, and then laughed with amusement. "I knew that the Grail was well-made for this dull era, but to think it was capable of that."

"What would you have me do then?" Kirei demanded. "Seek the Root myself…? That's…!"

"No, seeking the Root is meaningless for you." Caster replied. "You lack a Servant too. But more to the point reaching the Root would not give you the answers either. Assuming you survive attaining it, I doubt that obtaining one of the sorceries of the modern era would give you your answers. And even if you gain your answer, there's the possibility that in the process you'd be changed so much by the Root that you would not be able to return. There's not much point in getting what you want when you can't enjoy it, is there?"

"You're trying to subvert me, aren't you?" Kirei ground out, and Caster laughed at him.

"Of course I am…" she said while beginning to casually walk towards and past him. "…but I also want you to ask yourself: if Tohsaka cannot give you the answer, and the Grail does not offer it either, then perhaps someone or something else can?"

Kirei whirled to face the Servant of the Spell, but she was gone. "Another illusion…" he muttered, and then he heard her ghostly laughter in the night breeze.

"_We will meet again Kirei Kotomine._" Her words ghosted into his mind. "_As I said you are a very interesting man, and I look forward to continuing our conversation. Furthermore I would ask that you keep this encounter from Tohsaka. Such a dull man would undoubtedly respond to it in a most uncivilized manner._"

As he felt her presence disappear, Kirei felt tempted to immediately report the situation to his father and to Tokiomi. But he just as quickly crushed the temptation, because he knew that Caster was right. Neither his father nor Tokiomi could give him an answer, but without a Servant he had no chance for the Grail, nor would obtaining it and the Root mean anything. But Caster…she was from the Age of the Gods. Perhaps she had an answer…or a means to gaining one…it was a very enticing offer.

He would keep his wits about him, that much was certain. And just as certain was that he would keep this to himself. At least until Caster could deliver what she had been implying, that is.

* * *

><p>Waver dreamed. That wasn't so unusual, but the usual things he dreamt about usually involved magical success and prominence, and at times – he was a healthy boy towards the end of his adolescence – he also dreamt of a pretty girl by his side. But tonight was different.<p>

He stood on the beach, the sky above tinted rose and pearl by the breaking dawn, the sound of waves gently breaking across the shore a calming play on the senses. The sea stretched endlessly to the horizon, and the sandy beach stretched endlessly to his left and the right. Waver Velvet looked up at the sky, and thence to the endless sea.

It was beautiful. Serene and untouched, Waver understood that such a place could not possibly exist, but it existed. Somewhere across time and space it existed, and could only be reached by one who defied all the obstacles placed in one's path with an indomitable will bent on constantly moving forward, refusing to be held back and to be locked in stasis. But then what?

This sea stretched endlessly to the horizon, with nothing more to find and nothing more to reach. Nothing lay beyond the sky, and nothing lay on the other side of the sea. There was nothing more. This was the limit, and one had to turn back.

But Waver didn't want to turn back. He didn't know how, but he'd come this far. He didn't know how he knew, but he knew that he'd been faced with many such 'truths' in the past, but had proven them all false in the end. There was more. There had to be more. Something lay beyond the sea, and on the other side of the sky. But what was it?

_Go and find out._

"**WAKE UP!**" Rider thundered, and with a pathetic cry Waver literally jumped out of bed.

"Rider..." he complained as he sat on the ground and scratched his head. "…what are you…?"

"This is no time to be lazing around boy!" the Servant boomed, and Waver blinked. "The Sun's up and shining, and I just happened to come up with an idea to toughen you up! Hurry and get dressed! We've got a long way to go before digging into the storm Martha is whipping up for us!"

"Toughen…me up…?" he echoed with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was right. He still didn't understand how, but somehow in less than ten minutes he was puffing and huffing as he struggled to keep up with Rider as they jogged around the neighbourhood and past the curious stares of the locals.

Or rather Rider jogged – all the while softly but cheerfully singing a Greek marching song – while Waver ran to keep up. "R-Rider…" he gasped. "…wait up…"

"Really now…" Rider observed as he paused and allowed Waver to catch up and catch his breath. "…you really need to look after your health you know. Even if you're a scholar, a strong mind will need a strong body to work its best."

"I'll try…from…now on…" Waver managed to gasp out, and Rider laughed with approval.

"That's the spirit!" he said as he stretched, and Waver worked up his courage as his thoughts finally caught up with his dream.

_Oceanus…I saw Oceanus…that was Rider…my Servant's memories…_

"Rider…" he began. "…I have to ask…"

"What…?"

"What…happens when you finally reach your destination?" he asked, and Rider blinked before looking down at him.

"What…?"

"I mean…" Waver fumbled with his words. "…when you have something you want you get, or somewhere you want to go…when you finally have it or get there, what then?"

"You go on." Rider replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But…what if there's nothing more…"

"No." Rider denied firmly. "There is always something more. There is always something beyond the horizon." He said, and then he paused to smile knowingly at Waver. "You just have to go and find out what and where it is."

"I…" Waver whispered. "…I have to go…and see…"

_What lies beyond the horizon?_

"No matter what stands against you, no matter how difficult things may seem…" Rider continued. "…always keep moving forward. Don't ever stop trying to go forward. If you can't run, then walk! If you can't walk, then crawl! The journey only stops when you're dead! But as long as you are alive, then keep moving. Become more than what you are."

_What's on the other side of the sky?_

"I…" Waver whispered. "…I think…I understand…"

Rider smiled knowingly again. "Not yet…" he said. "…but it's a beginning. Now come on boy, we've only just started our morning run!"

Rider ran off, still singing that song of ancient times, and with an exasperated sigh Waver followed. "_It's so stupid…_" he thought to himself, seriously struggling to keep up but not realizing it. "_…to go after something or trying to go somewhere just because. But…it feels so…alive to do just that._"

* * *

><p>Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri gasped as she awoke, only to find herself strapped onto an operating table. <em>Oh the irony…but wait, what about the battle? Where's Lancer?<em>

"Oh good…" another woman's voice told her. "…you're awake." Sola's heart sank as the elfin beauty of the Servant of the Spell loomed over her. "You took quite a beating during the previous night. Fortunately your central nervous system was undamaged, so repairing and resuscitating you weren't too troublesome."

"I refuse to talk." Sola said defiantly. She would not betray Lancer, no matter how much she would be tortured. What about Kayneth though?

_Hang Kayneth._

"Now, now…" Caster told her while patting her shoulder reassuringly. "…there's no need to be so hostile. In fact, let us…negotiate."

"Easy for you say, given that you have an advantage over me." She shot back, and Caster laughed with indulgent amusement.

"Oh you have spirit, I like that." She said gleefully. "But it seems that you're behind the times. Lancer and the Lord El-Melloi are both dead it seems. The former fell by Berserker's hand, and the latter by Emiya's."

Caster fell silent and watched with a certain degree of sympathy as Sola burst into tears at the news of Lancer's demise. It wasn't like she could judge, considering that if anything similar had happened to Sakura she'd burn Fuyuki to the ground as a funeral sacrifice before making the perpetrator beg for death. "Kill me…" Sola sobbed at her. "…Lancer's dead. I've nothing to live for."

Caster resisted the urge to palm her face. This was definitely not foreseen. She did however magically release some of Sola's straps to allow the other woman to sit up. "You're a magus, so think." Caster said dryly. "This is not the first Holy Grail War, nor will it be the last. You could participate in the next war, and summon your beau again."

Sola fell silent, and slowly looked at Caster, who recoiled slightly at the slightly-insane glint of her eyes. "Yes…" she said. "…I can do that. I can see Lancer again. Kayneth won't be there anymore. Yes…yes…"

Caster coughed primly. "Yes quite…" she said. "…but it seems that you now owe me a favour for giving you this chance to see him again."

Sola looked at her and sighed. "…alright, what do you want?" she said crossly.

Caster smirked and held up a familiar test tube: Volumen Hydragyrum. "I could probably work out all the details behind this in half a day…" she said. "…but not the intricacies of its use and construction. You were a confidante of the Lord El-Melloi were you not? Doubtless you can provide the appropriate information."

"You'll let me go afterwards?"

"You have my word." Caster said. Sola nodded and the last of her straps were released. "Now then, I suppose I should feed you first before we get to work. Come, I'm sure that our host has prepared or obtained lunch for us."

* * *

><p>"Kaname-sensei is such a jerk." Yui complained that afternoon to Sakura while the two were buying ice cream after school. "He gave me a D for the day."<p>

"You fell asleep in the middle of the exam." Sakura pointed out, and Yui winced at the reminder. "Of course he's going to give you a D." There was a step behind them, and the two turned to see a rather miffed Rin Tohsaka standing behind them. Sakura cringed. "Who's that?" Yui asked.

"That's my sister." She said while telepathically contacting her mother.

"You have a sister?"

"It's half-sister actually. It's complicated." Sakura answered, and Yui made the intended connection between single mother and daughter, plus being forced to live at a Buddhist temple.

"Sorry I asked."

"You lied to me." Rin told Sakura. Sakura tilted her head while receiving instructions from her mother.

"I lie to everybody. What makes you so special?" she responded, and Yui gagged on her ice cream. Did she just hear Sakura right? Wait…there was an unusual gleam in her eyes, so she's probably just playing…probably. Yui turned and nearly choked again at the sight of the older girl spluttering in indignation.

"I am your sister!"

"That just makes you more gullible." She retorted, and then she smiled sweetly before pushing her ice cream right in front of Rin's face. "Bite…?"

Rin blinked, completely wrong-footed, and then looked away. "No thanks."

"One bite isn't going to make you fat sis."

"Yes it will."

"No it won't."

"Yes it will."

"No it won't."

"Yes it will!"

"Yes it will."

"No it won't!"

…

…

…

"You tricked me!" Rin exploded as Yui and Sakura exploded into laughter.

"Well, it's just as mom says: the best time to trick people is when they're all worked-up." Sakura said faux-sagely, causing Rin to roar incoherently and proceeding to chase the two younger girls down the street.

* * *

><p>AN

Some character development in this chapter, and a bit of kids having fun. You'll all probably kill me for what's going to next so…

TBH I don't really understand what's Rin concerned about in canon about eating too much. She says it goes somewhere...where exactly does it go? Or is she just concerned about getting fat?


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 14

"Rin…" Tokiomi Tohsaka said as the girl blinked herself awake…and then her eyes went wide as her father placed his hands around her head.

"Father…what…?" she stammered out, and then she began to scream as her magic resistance painfully fought against her father's mental interference. "Father, stop…! It hurts!"

Tokiomi grit his teeth, and cycled prana through his crest to stabilize the spell. "Forgive me Rin…" he whispered as his daughter thrashed around on her bed as the burning pain of her magic circuits steadily increased in a failing attempt at resistance, as Tokiomi fed more and more prana into the spell to alter her memories and perceptions. "…but this must be done to ensure the future of the Tohsaka Clan."

"No…" Rin gasped out, memories of her brief reunion with Sakura passing before her eyes before vanishing. "…please stop…no…Sakura…help…father…"

Tokiomi sighed with satisfaction as the spell completed and Rin finally subsided. He stood and fixed his rumpled clothes. "Father…?" Rin asked him while sitting up on her bed. "What are you doing here?"

"I just needed to check up on you." Tokiomi said with a satisfied smile. Rin's magic resistance had been a hassle, but such impressive resistance was only to be expected from her. As might be expected, neither Aoi nor her parents had resisted his spell. Everything was back to how it was…except for Sakura. Well that loose end would be fixed soon enough. "Go back to sleep now."

"Yes father." She said and lay back down. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind as she did so, that something about her father's presence wasn't quite right, but she quickly dismissed it. Her father would never do anything to hurt her. She closed her eyes and went back to sleep while her father left her room and closed the door behind him.

Tokiomi was gathering his things to return to the Tohsaka Estate when there was a series of knocks on the door. Wondering who it could be given the lateness of the hour, he hurried to the door to see who it was. "Father Kotomine…" he said in surprise as the sight of an unhappy Risei Kotomine. "…please come in."

The old priest entered and Tokiomi closed the door behind them. "Kirei-kun told you I take it?"

"Of all the things you have done to your own during the past year…" Risei said while shaking his head in disappointment. "…this is undoubtedly the most foolish! Altering the memories and perceptions of not just your wife and in-laws, but also your own daughter…have you gone completely insane?"

"I will do what I must to protect the Tohsaka Clan." Tokiomi replied. "At this rate Sakura and her Servant will destroy us and everything we have stood for due to some misguided sense of vengeance."

"You sold her to Zouken!" Risei all but shouted. "Of course she will seek vengeance! I'm not saying you should just let her do as she pleases, but to go this far?"

"The life of a magus is a harsh one." Tokiomi insisted. "Do not think that I enjoyed this. I merely did what I had to do. Rin will understand when she is older. Sakura…Sakura will be made to understand. The Matou will ensure that."

"So you intend to return her to them…" Risei said with evident disappointment. "…do not underestimate Sakura or her Servant, Tokiomi. The King of Heroes is mighty indeed, but from what Kirei has told me of the Servants' discussions among themselves he holds an unusual degree of respect for the Caster. I do not believe such respect is easy to earn. Be forewarned Tokiomi: should either Sakura or her Servant learn of what you have done, then you have signed your own death warrant."

"You worry too much Father Kotomine." Tokiomi assured him. "Even as we speak Archer and Kirei-kun are already en route to Ryuudo Temple to deal with Caster once and for all. Once Sakura is back where she belongs, then everything will be as it should be."

* * *

><p>Noble Phantasms bombarded the stairway leading up to Ryuudo Temple and the gateway, reducing them to broken piles of rubble and sending up obscuring clouds of dust. Archer and Kirei flew over the temple on the Vimana, but much to his own surprise Archer felt no bitterness to Caster for allying herself with Berserker.<p>

True, Berserker had dared strike at him, but that wasn't Caster's fault. Indeed, he should commend her for recognizing her own powerlessness against the King, and she'd merely hidden herself behind a mad dog for protection. It wouldn't do much good, but it was a commendable effort nevertheless. The Vimana slowed, and Kirei jumped off towards the inner areas. Archer's crimson eyes spotted what were probably familiars moving to intercept. They weren't his concern.

The poor, poor man…Archer knew that the priest was skilled in his own way, but to fight a Servant, no a Heroic Spirit from the Age of the Gods…Tokiomi was a fool. Not only did he willingly throw away what little treasures he possessed, he wasted the lives of his retainers so easily.

Archer cursed the man as he too descended from the Vimana, which returned to its place within the Gate of Babylon. A part of him spoke against going to the ground like this, but he'd made his decision. Caster, a fellow denizen of the Age of the Gods had found the Berserker worthy to be her shield. He would test that worth himself.

Several golden portals appeared and fired off Noble Phantasms into the dust cloud that was once the temple gate. The sound of explosions echoed, but Archer didn't move. Surely Berserker couldn't possibly…

Archer's thoughts lurched to a sudden halt as Berserker charged out the dust cloud and swung his halberd two-handed at Archer. Archer smirked and jumped up and high over Berserker, the Gate of Babylon firing off Noble Phantasm as he did so. Unfazed, Berserker switched to the defensive, his halberd swinging through the air and parrying the gleaming projectiles with unerring precision before switching to bow form.

Archer landed smoothly on the ground, his position relative to Berserker reversed – his back was now to the ruined temple gates, while Berserker's back was now to the temple. Archer's eyes did briefly widen however, at the sight of Berserker's bow aimed at him. The energy beam was loosed, but he dodged to the side, and the deadly lance of power seared a glowing trail across the Fuyuki skyline.

"_That will draw a lot of attention from the city's inhabitants._" Archer thought, and then he dismissed it. "_Bah…! The city crawls with the lowly. Let Tokiomi deal with the repercussions: such a lowly task is fit for a grovelling fool like him._"

"Impressive…" Archer said to Berserker as a pair of golden portals opened beside him. Berserker stepped into a defensive stance, his halberd held at the ready before him. "…perhaps you may yet entertain me, madman."

Smirking, Archer drew a pair of golden swords from his treasury. Naturally enough a mad dog was unworthy to even behold Ea, much less have it used against him but these weapons should be enough. The weapons with which the gods sent forth the Great Flood in forgotten times: Enki – Sword of the End. "Rejoice madman…" Archer proclaimed. "…for you have been granted the honour of dying by the King's own hands."

Berserker roared a challenge and then charged. Archer met the charge with a charge of his own; one of Enki's blades parrying Berserker's weapon to the side while the other stabbed towards the Chinese warrior's face. Berserker pulled back…and delivered a staggering kick to the King's torso.

Archer fell back with a grunt, and then pivoted on one foot to swing a golden blade towards Berserker's neck. The other Servant riposted, the halberd driving towards Archer's torso. Archer crossed his blades and parried the strike upwards, and then he pressed the assault close, negating Berserker's ranged advantage.

Archer smirked as he delivered a whirlwind-like barrage of swings, despite the fact that they were all of them blocked by the Servant of Insanity. Yes, he shouldn't die so quickly. Death was the price for striking at the King, but it didn't necessarily have to be instant death. Dying and providing the King entertainment in the process was much more to his liking.

* * *

><p>Kirei Kotomine cursed as Dragon Tooth Warriors just kept coming at him. They weren't much of a threat – a solid blow was enough to break them to say nothing of his Black Keys – but their sheer numbers was annoying. "<em>Persistent and tenacious in the defence…<em>" he thought as he heard the sound of steel striking steel from the gate area. "_…Caster must be planning to evacuate. They're buying time. Most likely this is a trap._"

Cursing again, Kirei tried to contact Tokiomi telepathically only to find his link being jammed by something. "_Caster's jamming communications…_" he realized. "_…this is a trap!_"

Kirei smashed three familiars in one blow, and then threw a handful of Black Keys and blew open a path into the temple. Retreat was not an option: it would expose his back to counterattack from the Servant of the Spell. They hadn't seen her fight yet, but as someone from the Age of the Gods Kirei was certain he wouldn't come out of it unharmed. Asking for help was not an option either: judging from the amused taunts of Archer from the gate area, an interruption of their battle would not be appreciated.

_The only way to break the trap then is to find and eliminate Caster._

Meanwhile Caster was deep within the holy precincts, preparing a trap just as Kirei had surmised. Humming tunelessly, she attached a disk-shaped construct to a cylindrical device of crystal and metal, and then nodded approvingly as the device lit up with cycling prana.

"_Let's see…_" she wondered silently. "_…ah yes…here we go. Once Berserker dies, then it's boom._"

Smiling, she closed off the bomb's interior with a silvered panel, and then returned to astral form before phasing up to the roof through the ceiling. Almost as an afterthought she remembered about the people living inside the temple, kept asleep through the noise and rumble of battle by her magic.

A part of her felt regret at leaving them to die despite their past hospitality, but was quickly set aside. Their deaths would serve purpose, as the next part of Sakura's education in the ways of the world. The world simply wasn't fair, despite what philosophers, prophets, and teachers might say with their 'enlightened' ideas. People had to take and conquer, struggle and fight, even kill not just to get ahead but also to survive.

_Sakura was a child._

It wasn't an insult, but a statement of truth. She saw things as a child would, with wonder and amazement. She'd come a long way to growing up, but more was needed. As her mother, Caster had an obligation to teach her how not just to reach the top of the pyramid, but also how to stay there and how to stop anyone else from joining her.

_There is only room for one at the head of the table._

Caster already had plans on how to use Sakura being a child to her advantage. A child's mind was soft and pliable. It would be easy to use those traits to teach her the values of resourcefulness, patience, manipulation, and ruthlessness. Sakura's resentment against her old family – for the most part – had already provided for great gains.

_The death of all these people will be the next step in forging out Sakura's weaknesses._

Caster smiled as she emerged invisible in the night sky, and watched Kirei fighting her familiars, and Archer fighting Berserker. Perhaps fate wasn't so unkind after all…either that or it had made a colossal blunder when it assigned her the role of being the Servant of a girl who, just like her, had been thrown away in favour of another.

_Natural parentage…_

Caster looked on invisibly as Berserker riposted an attack from Archer, hurling the golden king through the entrance to the temple proper. As it collapsed, Berserker jumped into the air with a roar, his halberd held point down, intending to skewer his foe in one fell swoop. Archer managed to roll out of the way in time, and getting to his feet, launch a counterattack of his own.

Caster turned to Kirei. The priest was good, but he was beginning to tire. "_Resourceful…_" she observed as she watched the priest apply reinforcement to his body to stave off exhaustion. "_…this man will be useful. It would be a waste to leave him to die here. This part of the battle must end._"

Kirei carved a familiar to ribbons with his Black Keys, and then smashed another with a single blow. "_There's no end to this!_" he thought as more Dragon Tooth Warriors slid from the shadows to attack.

And then he was flying, his body writhing in agony as lightning struck him from behind. "_Caster…_" he thought. "_...she's behind me…_"

The priest struggled to get up, cycling through healing spells to speed up his nerves' recovery from shock. But it was too late. He felt a gloved finger touch the back of his neck, and then he was thrashing about on the ground as he felt something foreign force its way into his body. "_A control element…?_" he wondered as he desperately channelled prana into his circuits…to no avail of course.

"Don't waste your time." Caster told him. "Most forms of mental interference can in fact be resisted by simply cycling prana through one's magic circuits. Whether or not it can be thrown off is a question of who has more prana, or whose concepts are stronger."

Caster paused, and then smiled. "But this is different." She continued. "While I too am capable of traditional mental interference, my preferred method is something that cannot be resisted. The control element that I injected into your body operates on a physical as opposed to a conceptual level. You could say it turns the body against the soul, by tricking the former into thinking that I am the 'natural' source of control, and you as the 'foreign' control."

Caster smirked as Kirei, through a truly herculean effort, managed to regain a semblance of control to glare up at her from the ground. An explosion followed by a roar and amused laughter echoed from the distance. "You are brave." She told him. "To look at me like that when your fate is in my hands. As a reward, let me tell you a secret: there is a way to beat this method."

She let the words hang in the air for several seconds, and then laughing sank to her knees and looked at Kirei in the eyes with a cruel smile. "But it's impossible for modern magi to use." She told him. Then she snapped her fingers, and Kirei could do nothing as his mind was forcibly shut down.

* * *

><p>Bolts of lightning presaged the arrival of the King of Conquerors just outside the Einzbern Forest, Maiya Hisau taking cover deeper in the forest at a gesture from Kiritsugu while Sabre took her place protectively before Irisviel. "Rider…" she began. "…what are you doing here?"<p>

"Well now…" the giant began. "…I figured your allies might try to take advantage of Archer's battle with Berserker and Caster way over there. But an interruption like that isn't really proper, wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps…" she answered cautiously. Kiritsugu for his part grimaced at the realization that he'd been caught a step back. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea after all to visit his wife today, or rather he shouldn't have decided to stay over for dinner.

"And also…" Rider continued as his jovial expression faded. "…I thought this would be a good time for me to wake you up."

"…I see." Sabre noted, her green eyes flickering to the side as Rider's hand dropped to his sword's hilt. A gunshot echoed in the evening air…and Rider's eyes widened in surprise even as Waver collapsed to the chariot's floor in mixed shock and fear.

"Sabre…!" Kiritsugu shouted as Irisviel looked at the blonde in surprise. "What are you…?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she replied as she dropped the bullet she'd caught with a hand. "I stopped you from defiling my honour again."

Kiritsugu looked like he'd bitten into something bitter while Irisviel sighed with exasperation at Sabre's sense of timing. "My apologies King of Conquerors." She told Rider. "It seems that if your reason for coming here was to 'wake me up' as you put it then you've wasted your time. Someone else has beaten you to the punch it seems."

Sabre paused and looked over a shoulder at Irisviel, who flushed and glanced with embarrassment at Kiritsugu, who also looked at her with an expression that promised a long talk later on. "Irisviel and Caster…" Sabre continued. "…they asked me whether or not I value the loyalty of those who remained loyal. I do…so it seems that I also owe you an apology for not taking my responsibilities as a king and as a knight."

"Oh…" Rider said with mixed emotions. "…but is it proper for a king to apologize?"

"Yes…" Sabre said proudly. "…chivalry demands that I take responsibility for my words and actions alike. And so I will."

"No regrets then…?" Rider asked, and Sabre closed her eyes.

"None…!"

"I see…" he answered. "…then what is your wish, King of Knights?"

"I completed my responsibility to Britain long ago…" she said while activating her armour and drawing her sword. "…I cannot stop mourning those who died, and looking back over my mistakes. But if the past cannot be changed, then I shall just have to give meaning to all the lives lost by my actions!"

"So your wish is to take responsibility…" Rider said with disappointment. "…well I suppose it's an improvement over regretting the past, but I still don't agree with your Way of the King. But if you intend to stand by it…then I must offer you once more my respect. And just like Archer, it seems that we are fated to cross blades. What a shame it is."

Rider smirked, and then grabbed the reigns of his chariot. "But before we can fight, you must first catch up with me!" he shouted, and drove off down the mountain road. Cursing, Sabre dismissed her sword before running for her motorbike.

"Kiritsugu…" she told him as she mounted the vehicle. "…you told me before that we're not so different. You are wrong. The two of us are very different."

"How so…?" he asked while Irisviel looked on with concern and Maiya returned with an unhappy expression on her face.

"Answer me Kiritsugu: do you regret any of the lives lost through your actions?"

"No, I don't." he answered firmly.

"Then that is the difference between us." Sabre answered while powering up her motorbike. "I cannot and will not forget all those who died because of me. Because I doubt if they will ever forget me."

Kiritsugu just looked on as Sabre drove off, and shook his head with disappointment. "So you have chosen to become an archetypal hero, Sabre." He said. "How foolish…justice cannot be brought by half-hearted methods. Why can't you realize that?"

* * *

><p>Archer roared in triumph, as one of Enki's blades hammered Berserker's halberd to the side, while the other blade swung up and took off both of Berserker's arms below the elbow. Stepping forward and past Berserker, he swung low and slashed open the back of Berserker's knees. "Well fought madman…" he congratulated Berserker as he pinned the fallen warrior to the ground with a booted foot to the back. "…but it is over. Fear not, you have entertained me well during this night, and I have decided to reward you with a swift death."<p>

Smirking, Archer crossed Enki and beheaded Berserker with a scissor-like movement. Taking a deep breath with deep satisfaction, Archer returned Enki back into the Gate of Babylon…and then his crimson eyes widened as he felt a surge of prana deep inside the holy precincts.

Just for an instant, night turned bright as day as Ryuudo Temple was destroyed by a massive explosion, the shock wave devastating the mountain and levelling the nearby suburbs. Panic erupted across the city, assisted greatly as a mushroom-shaped cloud faintly glowing with residual prana emissions appeared over Mt Ryuudo.

At the Tohsaka Estate, Tokiomi collapsed as he felt his magic circuits begin to burn. Archer had somehow managed to survive the death trap that was once Ryuudo Temple, but it had critically-injured him, and was now draining Tokiomi's reserves with rapacious greed just to stay alive. "The gems…" he gasped as a shocked Risei rushed to his side and the sky darkened once more. "…the gems…"

As darkness fell across his sight, Tokiomi could only feel utter hatred against the architect of this turn of events: the Servant Caster.

* * *

><p>AN

Funny how love, supposedly the purest of emotions, can drive men into the depths of evil. Even Zouken was driven to become a vampire because he wanted to see Justeaze again, and here we see Caster, who truly loves Sakura, plotting to make Sakura's alignment Neutral Evil for Sakura's own good.

Anyway…yes, canon Gil actually has Enki. You can see it in Fate/Extra, though he never actually uses them. As for Sabre, her wish is no longer to change history, but to take responsibility for everyone and everything she sacrificed. Naturally enough the Rider still can't accept that, but it's certainly better than changing the past.

Finally I know that Kiritsugu does in fact regret his actions, it's just that it takes being broken by Angra Mainyu – who shows him that all the 'lesser evils' he's been committing never actually contributed to a greater good – to realize it. Idiot…to quote High Admiral Ulrich Kessler, "…justice can only come with the law." Vigilantes like Kiritsugu are no different from other crooks in that light.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 15

Rider whistled as the blinding light of Caster's trap lit up the night sky, and Waver gaped out across the city afterwards, staring at the dully-glowing mushroom cloud rising over Mt Ryuudo. "That temple was a death-trap." Rider observed. "Not bad Caster; in case a strong enemy attacked and overcame your ally, then you'd simply blow him to Hades."

"Rider…" Waver asked. "…do you really think Caster survived that?"

"Of course I do!" Rider replied with a grin. "There's no way a witch that prudent would get killed by her own trap!" Pausing, Rider looked back over his shoulder at the mountain road and spotted Sabre closing on her motorbike. "She's catching up, so let's take this up a notch shall we?"

"Eh…?" Waver stammered out, and then he was holding on for his life as Rider goaded his divine bulls further and the chariot moved faster.

Sabre ground her teeth as Rider pulled ahead once more. She'd managed to close the distance – probably because Rider had gotten distracted by Caster's light show from Mt Ryuudo – but that little gain was quickly being lost. "_I need to go faster!_" she thought angrily. "Invisible Air…!"

Light flashed across her motorbike as her prana washed over it, and glowing currents of air built up in front and trailed behind it as she drove even faster and closed once more towards Rider. "Impossible…!" Waver gasped as he spotted Sabre getting closer. "How…Rider she's gaining on us!"

"So you're finally in the spirit of things." Rider observed with approval. "But you shouldn't worry so. This race isn't over yet, and I too have a few tricks of my own. The King of Knights won't beat me in a chariot race that easily!" Pulling slightly on the reins, Rider drove his chariot closer to the wall and ripped it apart with the wheel-mounted scythe. "Let's see how good your handling is, Sabre!"

Sabre gasped in shock as the damaged support wall gave way, and causing the hills above it to begin to collapse down against the road. Her face set with determination, Sabre crouched down on her motorbike and sped up even further. She roared through the landslide, leaving glowing contrails behind her as she fluidly avoided falling rocks and boulders, and drove past tumbling masses of earth much to Rider's impressed laughter. "Not bad King of Knights!" he shouted as he drew his sword. "Then how about this?"

Lightning erupted around the chariot and tore up the road behind it. "Enough tricks, King of Conquerors!" Sabre shouted as she activated her nitro-boosters and sped up even further, and continuing to fluidly avoid the debris flying at her from behind Rider's chariot. Shouting her battle cry, she drew her sword and pulled her motorbike up as she deliberately overshot a curve in the road, leaping over the intervening gap and towards Rider.

Rider roared with approval as he met the challenge and his chariot ground to a stop, and Sabre's eyes widened in surprise as her sword met Rider's own and was thrown back. Sparks went up as her armoured boots and her motorbike's metal edges ground against the road as they landed and skidded back a good distance. "It looks to me that I win the race, Sabre." Rider said as he began to pull his chariot around to face her.

"It certainly seems that way." She replied. "But I would like to think that I've earned the right to finish this battle, isn't that right King of Conquerors?"

Rider laughed. "I can't argue with you there!" he agreed. "But before that I would like to ask: how would you take responsibility for your past?"

Sabre didn't answer immediately, but after a long moment she dismounted and gave Rider a smile. "I know not." She said, and immediately light and wind erupted from her sword and exposed the golden, fairy-forged blade concealed beneath the hurricane. "But I will face it regardless!"

"You are hoping for the best?"

"Perhaps…" she replied while raising her sword over her head and motes of light began to gather around it.

"That sword…" Waver whispered. "…so that's Excalibur – the Sword of Promised Victory…" His voice trailed off as lightning built around the chariot and Rider placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"So you intend to face whatever challenge lies on the other side of victory, and in so doing grant meaning to all the lives lost and people sacrificed for your sake." He said in understanding. "You're such a child…but I was once a child too! I understand Sabre, no King of Knights! Let us end this: conquer the light at the end of the tunnel…!"

Sabre watched as the bulls roared and charged at her, lightning erupting around and beneath their feet, and trailing around and behind the chariot behind them. As the chariot thundered towards her, ripping up the surrounding hills and road, she smiled at them once more. "Yes, let us finish this…" she whispered.

"**VIA EXPUGNATIO…!**" Rider roared, invoking his Noble Phantasm as Sabre's light reached blinding proportions and her sword began to swing down.

"**EXCALIBUR…!**" she shouted in her turn, the glowing, golden beam engulfing Rider's chariot in its entirety. Waver cried out in fear as he felt Rider's prana being overwhelmed and heard the pained lowing of the bulls as they were wiped from the world in moments, and then he felt Rider's arm coming down around his shoulders and pulling him closer…and then nothing.

Excalibur's golden beam obliterated Rider's chariot and seared a glowing trail of destruction up the road and past the next curve, blasting its way into the sky. Sabre breathed deeply several times as the light faded, leaning against Excalibur as she did so. Standing up after a few moments she beheld the destruction before her. "_I won Rider…_" she thought. "_…but what about you? Did you die, fighting as is your wont from the front alongside your followers, or…_"

Deciding against completing the thought, Sabre returned to her motorbike and rode back to Castle von Einzbern. No doubt Kiritsugu and Irisviel would want to talk to her about the night's events. Though given the damage done to the mountain road, getting back might take a while.

* * *

><p>Archer repeatedly clenched and unclenched one hand, and took a drink of wine from another before heading for Tokiomi's bedroom. The magus was currently bedridden and his body left paralyzed and in shock after Archer had all but drained him dry of his prana reserves after Caster's little surprise nearly cooked him alive. Spent gems littered the floor, while Aoi Tohsaka tended to her husband.<p>

Archer considered her briefly and then dismissed her. Modern Humans had no taste. Aoi might be considered beautiful by modern standards, but even the plainest woman of Uruk was far more beautiful than she was or would ever be. She was dutiful at least, although Archer was just as disdainful of that aspect of her as he was of her physical attributes. She had no spirit in her, and while Archer had a healthy respect for duty and devotion, slavish devotion without spirit was utterly anathema to him.

_Plain and spiritless…I shouldn't have expected more from Tokiomi._

At least his daughters were different. The elder was still somewhat plain-looking, but she had spirit. That was good. The younger…well he'd no idea what she used to look like – Tokiomi having removed all images of her – but he assumed that she was just as plain-looking as most modern Humans were. Caster's blood was an improvement, both in terms of appearance and abilities.

_Speaking of Caster…_

That damn witch…she'd played him and Tokiomi for fools – though it wasn't that hard to play the latter since he already was a fool – and was now presenting him with a dilemma. He had to kill her. The law…_his _law demanded that she die for attempting to kill him. As the King it was his obligation and privilege to carry out the sentence.

_What of her daughter?_

Archer would not suffer that the girl be made to return to her worthless father. He was unworthy of her. But then what…?

"Your Majesty…" Tokiomi gasped as he noticed Archer's arrival. "…please accept my apologies…"

"Your apologies are worthless to me." Archer coldly replied, and ignored Aoi's half-outraged, half-cautious glance of rebuke. "It seems that you are in pain. That is good. Your idiocy led me into a trap, and you are just as responsible as the Caster was for the harm done to the King's body."

"…I have no excuse."

"Indeed you do not." Archer said dismissively as he made to leave. "The priest is also dead it seems…what a pity, I was rather curious about him. Woman, take care of your husband. If that is all you are capable of, then get to it." Archer then strode off, ignoring the whispered conversation behind them.

_Mongrels…how dare they speak against the King behind his back? If I had no use for them, they would pay for such insolence!_

Archer's thoughts turned once more to Caster and her daughter…and surprisingly, to the King of Knights as well. Strange…he admitted that her spirited devotion to her childish ideals made her very appealing, and she was an exception appearance-wise to modern Humans, but still…

He would need to think this matter through.

* * *

><p>"They're dead…?" Sakura asked sadly. "All of them…?"<p>

"Yes…" Caster replied. "…they're dead."

"Was it…?"

"There was no time."

Sakura lowered her head, inwardly in turmoil. She'd already killed once, but that was only because there was no other choice. But now…her mother was a powerful magus. Couldn't she have done something? There was no need for everyone at the temple to have died. They were nice people, and one of them – Issei or something – was even her age and had played with her at times.

"I know what you're thinking." Caster began, divining the nature of her thoughts. "But magic is not all-powerful."

Sakura looked up at her quizzically. "Magecraft is defined as the study of miracles, and learning to replicate them but…" Caster continued and kneeling down to Sakura's level. "…there are still some things that it cannot do. And one of those was getting everyone else out before King Gilgamesh managed to defeat Berserker."

"You were fighting Mr Kirei too…" Sakura added, and Caster nodded.

"Yes I was." She said, playing into the battle account she'd given to Sakura as opposed to what had really happened. "People die all the time and I understand that it hurts on the inside whenever you kill, but when the choice is between you and others, which will be your choice?"

"…I don't know." Sakura answered softly, and Caster embraced her. Sakura embraced her mother back. "But I…I can't kill or hurt those important to me…I just can't…"

Caster smiled; it was going in a slightly different direction from what she wanted, but Sakura was on the right track. After all, she didn't say that she wouldn't kill or hurt – she just wouldn't kill or hurt those important to her. "Then don't; protect them if that is what you desire, but here is a valuable lesson which you must learn: everything has a price."

"Equivalent exchange…" Sakura whispered in reply, feeling something icy begin to grip her very being, numbing the pain and freezing away the guilt. Pain and guilt born of her conscience as it told her that despite the world being what it was, she shouldn't simply become like them.

_Should I simply be another victim then?_

Sakura didn't know where the thought came from, but she agreed with it. No matter what nice words people used, the world was a cruel place. She had been lucky. If her mother hadn't saved her back then, where would she be?

_I will never be a victim._

"Don't hesitate." Her mother told her. "If you must kill, then kill! If you must harm or use others, then do it! Do not forget those whom you kill, use, or harm, for they will never forget you. But so long as you remain who and what you are, then…"

"…as long as I have a future I can look forward to…" Sakura finished for her mother, knowing not how the words came so easily to her. "…then do what I must to survive and become strong. I understand mother."

Caster smiled and embraced Sakura again, Sakura eagerly returning the gesture. "People will call you a hypocrite…" Caster whispered into her ear. "…because you will do what you must to obtain what you desire, and protect what is yours. But even so…"

"…it won't matter." Sakura finished, finally realizing that despite only being together for a year, she was truly her mother's daughter in blood, magic, and mind. Exultation filled her at the realization, drowning out the horror of her conscience at the thought. "Why should I care about others, when they don't care for me and mine?"

Caster patted her on the head and led her down the wing back to her room. "That's my girl." Caster told Sakura in praise, and she smiled at the compliment. "This is a world of the survival of the fittest, where to survive and succeed one must be strong. Are you strong, Sakura?"

"Yes!" she eagerly replied. "I'm strong like you mom!"

Caster smiled a deadly smile, a smile that she had once worn as she burned that bitch Creusa and her father Creon. She smiled not as a predator which had brought down her prey, but one which watched a cub stalking its first prey. "_Who will you first strike without regret? Your father…? His whore…? Or will it be your sister?_"

* * *

><p>"Rider survived…?" Sabre echoed in disbelief as she sat with Irisviel in a sitting room at Castle von Einzbern. "But how…?"<p>

"I do not know." Irisviel replied, shaking her head and nursing a cup of tea. "All I know is that neither Rider nor Archer have died. I haven't received either of their energy."

"Tough bastards…!" Sabre commented as she took a sip from her own teacup. "Berserker was strong, I know that quite well. Archer not only managed to defeat him, but also managed to survive Caster's trap. A trap that devastated the entire mountain the temple was on, and then some. As for Rider…I was certain that I destroyed his chariot, so how?"

"Perhaps he withdrew into his reality marble?" Irisviel essayed. "A reality marble is basically one's inner world that has been superimposed over the real world. Normally if one can push it out over reality, then the opposite should also be possible…for a time at least."

Sabre nodded in agreement, and the two women were silent for a time. "How's Kiritsugu?" Sabre finally asked. "He didn't look too pleased about what I told him earlier."

"He wasn't." Irisviel replied with an amused laugh. "He decided against speaking to me about encouraging you, but he did call you an archetypal hero."

"Is that bad?" Sabre wondered, and Irisviel shrugged.

"In his book, yes…" she answered. "…for him archetypal heroes only do halfway measures and as such can never truly accomplish anything."

"What an interesting mentality…" Sabre commented. "…I apologize for any offense caused Irisviel, but our 'half-hearted measures' wrote history and inspire people to this day, whereas his vigilantism hasn't really affected the world that much."

Irisviel sighed. "Yes, that's true." She sadly admitted. "But Kiri…he'll never admit it. You see…he understands that, but at the same time he can't stop being what he is. It's the only way he knows to bring about justice."

"Justice, huh…?" Sabre said, but decided to let the matter drop and steering instead to a different topic. "How's your body by the way?"

Irisviel held up a hand and rapidly clenched and unclenched it. She had to be careful here; Sabre didn't know about Avalon being inside her, and Kiritsugu had told her never to allow Sabre to know about it. Technically Avalon belonged to Sabre, and no doubt Kiritsugu felt that the blonde would try and get her Noble Phantasm back, which would make her – Irisviel – more vulnerable and lead to the loss of physical functionality sooner as more of the Grail's power filled her.

"I'm a bit stiff." Irisviel replied cautiously. "But so far so good."

How long that would last was a question she couldn't answer. No doubt once the fifth Servant fell she would be left paralyzed. She might still be able to speak with Avalon, but once the sixth Servant fell then she'd be quickly subsumed by the Grail, Avalon or not.

_Kiritsugu would have to reclaim Avalon before then. Something tells me that keeping Avalon with me up to that point would be a very bad idea._

* * *

><p>"How are you?" Caster asked with faux sweetness at the priest tied to a steel chair in the middle of the slag-choked and fire-scarred pit beneath Matou Manor. "Dreary place I know, but the former owner died quite recently, and refurbishment of the residences, utilities, workshops, detainment areas, and so on will have to wait for a while."<p>

It was true – the underground was a dank and dreary place, and Caster and Byakuya had agreed to fill it in completely during post-war refurbishment. For now it would do as a prison of sorts, though she'd made certain to cleanse everything extremely thoroughly with white-hot fire before stuffing the priest in the pit. "These bands are impressive." Kirei Kotomine commented as he briefly and vainly struggled against them.

"What makes you say that?"

"You combined four of the five metaphysical elements into something that has the properties of both solids and liquids, and then used prana to shape and control it." Kirei explained and Caster laughed.

"Oh you are good." She finally said. "It would be a shame to kill you."

"Really…?"

"Yes…" Caster said while beginning to walk around the pit's edges. "…Kirei Kotomine, let us dispense with the hostilities. After all, why fight when one can negotiate?"

"You have me at a disadvantage." The priest pointed out, and Caster smirked.

"True…" she conceded. "…but I am a firm believer of always negotiating from a superior position."

"So I see."

Caster laughed again. "Then let us get to the point: have you considered the question I asked you?"

"I have."

"And…?"

"I have been unable to make a decision." Kirei said. "You ask me to betray my benefactor…"

"…a benefactor who is unable or is incapable of giving you what you need." Caster interrupted. "Tokiomi Tohsaka will use the Grail to reach Akasha by betraying the King of Heroes and using his command spells to force His Majesty to commit suicide. It's not a bad plan, but seeing as I will die in the process, I don't think I can allow things to reach that point."

Kirei snorted. "...that's the understatement of the century." He said.

"Quite…" Caster agreed. "…so I give you a counter-offer: cooperate, and I shall allow you to offer your wish before the Holy Grail."

"What of your Master…?"

"Sakura's wish is the same as mine." Caster said with a shrug. "I offer my wish, and both our wishes will be granted. It's a win-win situation for us three, wouldn't you agree?"

Kirei struggled against the thought of agreeing. On one hand it would allow him to finally have an answer with regards to the question which had haunted him all his life. On the other hand it would mean betraying his benefactor…he wasn't a traitor like Judas…was he?

"What are your plans for Tohsaka?" he asked. "I do not believe that you are willing to face the King of Heroes in a straight fight."

Caster smiled. "Smart boy…" she commented. "…cooperate, and you'll find out."

"Do I really have a choice?" Kirei ground out, and with a smile Caster pointed a finger at him and he felt something stir in his blood.

"No, not really but…" she admitted. "…things would be easier and it would nicer if you cooperated of your own free will. Who knows? You might find something about yourself in the process."

_What would Tokiomi's face look like upon realizing that he'd been betrayed?_

Caster watched as various expressions flitted across Kirei's face before settling on stony determination. "Never…" he spat. "…I won't join you, witch!"

"A pity." She said with a shrug, and with a gesture she shut down his free will. A second gesture had him unbound, and within moments the priest had ascended from the pit and was kneeling before her.

"What is thy bidding, my mistress?"

Caster smiled. It was good to be queen.

* * *

><p>AN

And Sakura steadily slides into darkness.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 16

Waver's dreams were once again filled by the sight and sound of waves breaking against an endless shore, and of the sea stretching infinitely onwards to the horizon under the dawn sky. "Oceanus…" he whispered as he looked around him at the empty shore. "…this is great and all that, but what's the point in coming here, or even of trying to cross it, when you're all by yourself?"

Almost as if his words had triggered something, Waver felt something, a compulsion to go up the shore. He walked at first, wondering what it was he was feeling, and why was he following the compulsion at all. Soon, another sound began to be heard over the waves, the sound of countless marching feet in the direction he was going. And by all rights he should have felt fear at the thought, and should have resisted the compulsion and fled in the opposite direction…but he kept going.

Faster he walked as the marching continued, and instead of fearing what he would find Waver instead feared being left behind by what he knew not. Indeed, though he could not explain it, Waver knew that he had nothing to fear. Up ahead, he saw to his surprise that the shore was not infinite after all, or rather did not stretch in an unbroken line devoid of all obstruction. A hill stood in his way, ending in a cliff against which the waves broke repeatedly.

Undeterred, Waver began to run, and found a narrow and rocky path leading up the steep slopes of the hill. Waver began to climb, even as the Sun rose higher into the sky and the sound of marching beyond the hill grew increasingly louder.

"_This won't stop me!_" Waver thought as he continued to climb and ignored the way the sharp rocks cut into his hands. He yelped as he slipped and nearly tumbled back to the bottom, but grimly held on and resumed his climb. "_I have to see…_" he silently said to himself. "_…I have to see what's on the other side…I have to get beyond this…no matter what…I have to…!_"

Finally, Waver placed his hand over the top of the hill, and with a cry of triumph pulled himself up as the Sun rose into the sky…and promptly woke up in his bed all wrapped up in the bedcovers. "W-what…?" he said as he abruptly sat up. "A dream…? What a disappointment."

Smiling sadly to himself, Waver got off the bed and made ready for another day. Ten minutes later he found Rider as usual playing video games. "Oh you're up!" Rider said with a grin over his shoulder. "I was wondering if you would sleep the whole day. Well after last night's excitement, I decided to let you sleep in this morning."

"Rider what…?" Waver broke off as he remembered getting engulfed in Excalibur's light during the previous night. "How did we…?"

"I pulled us into Ionian Hetairoi at the last second." Rider answered while turning back to his game. "It was touch and go there for a moment, but it worked out in the end. Shame about my chariot though…"

"I see…" Waver muttered as he wandered over to the kitchen to prepare a late breakfast for himself.

"…if you're wondering about the old couple they went out about an hour ago." Rider called after him. "They left breakfast for you in the cold box."

"…it's called the refrigerator." Waver half-heartedly corrected with his thoughts focused on his dream and the connection with his Servant's inner world and past life. It continued to distract him as he absent-mindedly heated and ate his breakfast, and the young man eventually went back to his Servant in search of answers after leaving his dirty plate and utensils in the sink. "Rider, can you really conquer the world?"

Rider stopped playing his game and looked at Waver. Waver gazed back, meeting the King's gaze without flinching, and without any sentiment of either support or condemnation. After several moments Rider smiled with approval and set the game controller down. "Of course I can." He finally answered.

"But the world has changed so much…"

"Waver Velvet, do you know what a King is?"

"Huh?"

"What is a King?"

"Well, you said a King was someone who led heroes and showed them their way."

"Exactly…" Rider said while sitting back. "…a 'King' is just a title, a concept as you magi would call it that can have many forms depending on the situation. If this modern world cannot accept autocracy, then so be it. I will simply have to take on my kingship under a different title. It's all the same in the end."

Waver looked unsatisfied, and after a moment asked another question. "Do you not like the modern world then?"

"No, I think it's great." Rider answered much to Waver's surprise. "Humanity has prospered, uncovered many secrets, and created wonders beyond imagining. You magi lament it, because your art faces the past, whereas greater Humanity's science faces the future, but at the end I will stand with Humanity. The past is the past, and it belongs there. The future though, now that is something to look forward to, as Humanity continues to forge ahead beyond the limits of the world."

Rider then paused, his expression turning unhappy. "But if there is something I cannot accept about this modern world, it's that Humanity lacks purpose." He said. "Everything that is done today is done in a haphazard fashion, be it individual nations, people, or even merchant guilds which you call corporations or something."

Rider briefly closed his eyes and sighed. "To call the first part of my plans conquest is incorrect…" he said. "…it would be better to call it unification. Only then can we begin to walk the path of conquest."

"Space…" Waver whispered with mixed awe and shock. "…you intend to take us to the stars."

Rider chuckled and fished out a book from the pile of books on a nearby desk. "The astronomer Tsiolkovsky said something absolutely brilliant you know." He said while handing Waver the book. The boy's eyes widened as he saw it was a history of space and man. "Earth is the cradle of Humanity, but one cannot remain in the cradle forever. What wonderful words…it's a shame the man is dead. I would have loved to meet with him. The great ocean of the endless stars…how can I, the King of Conquerors, not accept the challenge when it appears before me?"

Waver was silent, and after a few more moments Rider stood and looked at him. "Now let me ask you a question Waver Velvet: what is your dream?"

"I…" Waver replied hesitantly. "…I just want to be recognized as someone and not just another upstart by my fellow magi. But now…"

"Oh…?" Rider said with interest. "Are you no longer satisfied with your dream?"

Waver laughed with self-deprecation. "It just seems so petty compared to yours." He answered. "And I can no longer feel I can follow through with it, so I…"

Rider smiled and held out a hand. "If you can no longer stand by your dream…" he said kindly. "…then share mine. The King gives guidance to those in need of it, and will accept all that come before him."

Waver looked stunned as he looked back and forth between Rider and his offered hand, and then he laughed. "This is so…this is just so strange. We're supposed to be Master and Servant and yet…"

Rider laughed as well, though he didn't take back his hand. "Once the war is won, we won't be Master and Servant anymore. And I have no need of you to be my servant. Stand by my side as a friend, Waver Velvet."

Waver smiled, and after a moment shook Rider's hand. "Please unite the world…" he said. "…and lead us to the stars, Your Majesty."

Rider laughed. "There's no need to be so formal." he said. "But first we must defeat our enemies here and claim the Holy Grail."

Waver smiled again and passed a hand over his command spells. "I have every confidence in your victory."

"That's reassuring Waver." Rider replied. "But let's not get overconfident. Caster, Archer, and Sabre…these are strong opponents. And tonight, we shall face the greatest among them: the Golden King himself."

* * *

><p>"You're going into civil service?" Caster asked Byakuya incredulously as she noticed the forms he was filling out on the table. The man rolled his eyes.<p>

"I need something to focus on otherwise I might revert." He said as he pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Caster. "Fill this up please."

"What's this?"

"It's the document that will prove you as a member of the Matou Clan." Byakuya replied as he continued to fill up his application for the police academy. "Once I file that, you'll be my and Kariya's sister…legally speaking of course."

"Kariya…" Caster echoed. "…ah yes. Your younger brother…Sakura speaks highly of him for some reason."

"No shit…" Byakuya replied. "…the man's been infatuated with Aoi Tohsaka since they were children. He gave up on her when he left the family though…somewhat…"

"Is that respect in your voice?"

"...the man was smart." Byakuya grudgingly replied after a moment. "He knew what was in store for him had he taken up the art. He was brave too, striking out on his own without the family's support. Sometimes I wonder…"

Byakuya broke off and shook his head. "...there's no point in crying over spilled milk." He sagely quoted, and Caster grinned.

"Well that's true." She agreed. "Is there anything else I ought to know about this man? One or more of the Tohsaka will die by Sakura's hand before this war ends, and while I'm no stranger to filial strife, it is admittedly troublesome."

"No worries…" Byakuya assured her. "…Kariya gave up all that he had left for Aoi after he learned of her support for that shithead Tokiomi's decision. Although you might want to keep the little girl safe; Kariya probably wouldn't blame her for anything."

"Then we have nothing to worry about." Caster said disapprovingly. "Sakura might kill her sister, but it's extremely unlikely. Oh well, I suppose I can indulge such childish attachment. I care little for the brat – she's a link to Sakura's old life after all and may prove a liability in the future – but my little girl is still a child, even if she's growing up so fast. There's plenty of time to deal with loose ends if necessary in the future."

"My thoughts exactly…" Byakuya said before sitting back thoughtfully. "…by the way, about my son…"

"Don't worry…" Caster assured him. "…I'm a magus from the Age of the Gods. I can do it. To my understanding, blood adoption in this time and age is risky and incredibly painful for all involved, but I assure you: when Sakura underwent it, there was no pain and no risk of failure or death whatsoever."

"…good…" Byakuya said with relief. "…Shinji…he's the only one left I have to remember my wife by. I don't want him to feel neglected or inferior to Sakura. He'll want to be a magus…"

"And he will be one." Caster assured him again. "However we're going to need your brother's cooperation for this. Not even I can make magic circuits, and Sakura's magic circuits are incompatible even if she doesn't need them."

"And if he doesn't cooperate?"

Caster smiled. "Oh he will cooperate." She told him. "From what you've told me Kariya is a very caring and soft-hearted man. I'm sure such a generous man would be more than willing to sacrifice of himself for his nephew's sake, wouldn't you agree?"

Byakuya laughed in response. "You are a dangerous woman."

"You have absolutely no idea."

* * *

><p>The Vimana soared high over Fuyuki City that night, its golden form and emerald wings gleaming with the reflected moonlight. Seated on his throne, the King of Heroes carefully kept an eye out for his enemy. An armoured finger tapped impatiently on one armrest.<p>

"_Will you accept the invitation King of Conquerors?_" Archer thought to himself. "_Or will I have to seek out the King of Knights instead? It's not a terrible prospect by any means, but still…_"

Archer blinked and smiled as he spotted a familiar pair of figures mounted on a black horse galloping down deserted streets towards the city bridge. As fast as his thoughts, the Vimana banked and swooped down towards the bridge as well. He was briefly tempted to strike them down from on high, but the King swiftly crushed such treacherous thoughts with utter disdain.

_The King of Conquerors will fall as befits one who would challenge the King of the World._

The Vimana slowed, elegantly turning its prow to face Rider and his Master as they arrived. Archer rose from his throne as the Vimana settled on the ground, and walked forward and down to the ground as Rider and Waver dismounted from Bucephalus.

"This will be the strongest enemy we will ever face." Rider quietly told Waver as they eyed Archer across the bridge. "But once we defeat him, Sabre and Caster will both be as nothing compared to what we have faced tonight."

"Can you defeat him?" Waver asked just as quietly.

Rider smiled. "We'll see." He replied and noticed Waver's hand move towards his command spells. Rider briefly closed his eyes and patted Waver on a shoulder before walking towards Archer. Archer did likewise, the two kings walking each other to discuss their final differences before their final battle.

"I'm impressed King of Conquerors." Archer said. "You accepted my invitation."

"Of course I did!" Rider shot back. "Did you expect otherwise?"

"Perhaps…" Archer countered with a smile and causing Rider to laugh.

"Oh that's right…" Rider suddenly said in realization. "…I almost forgot. Weren't we supposed to finish the wine before we fight?"

Archer blinked and then laughed. "...oh yes it seems that I had forgotten!" Archer exclaimed, as golden portals appeared and dropped out the flagon of wine and a pair of golden cups. Archer took one cup, while Rider took the other and the flagon and filled both their cups.

"What happened to your chariot?" Archer asked as Rider emptied the flagon and placed it on the ground, where it faded into golden light as it returned to its place within the Gate of Babylon. "Your steed is mighty indeed, but your chariot was a worthy construct in its own right."

"Well it seems that I underestimated Sabre, and lost it as a result." Rider replied, and one of Archer's eyebrows rose.

"Oh…?" he began. "Do you intend to fight me then at less than full strength?"

"True my chariot is lost to me…" Rider replied with a grin. "…but I promise you that I am not weaker in the least. On the contrary, its loss only drives me to go further than before during our battle."

"I see…" Archer said with approval. "...then I look forward to our upcoming battle."

Archer raised his cup, and Rider returned the toast. "Sovereign of the Land between the Rivers…" Rider solemnly began after he had taken a drink. "…I would ask you a question."

"I shall suffer your curiosity so ask." Archer returned and Rider smiled.

"Suppose we equip my armies with the weapons of your treasury…" Rider supposed. "…then the resulting army will be greater than any than has or shall ever walk this earth."

"I agree, and your point is?"

"Won't you be my ally?" Rider asked eagerly. "Together, none can oppose us, and we can unite Humanity and give it purpose once more. And from there we can claim the endless stars for ourselves."

Archer burst out laughing with amused approval. "What ambition!" he finally said. "It has been a while since I received amusement from other than fools or mongrels." Archer sighed and his expression turned faintly sad. "But alas, I must decline your offer, worthy it may be of me. Past, present, or future, I have only one friend. I have no desire or need for another. And the world does not need two kings."'

"You walk a lonely path…" Rider commented. "…like the King of Knights…but I will accept it, and challenge your kingship with everything I have."

"I expect nothing less King of Conquerors." Archer returned. "You are worthy of the King's personal attention." The two kings emptied their cups and as one, turned and tossed their cups into the air. They dissolved into golden light as they struck the ground, but the kings had already returned to their starting positions.

"The two of you really respect each other don't you?" Waver asked Rider as the latter returned.

"How can I not respect the mightiest King to ever walk the earth?" Rider said as he and Waver mounted Bucephalus. "This may be my final battle."

"What are you saying?" Waver asked in anger, his command spells flashing as he did so. "You can't possibly…!"

"Waver, trust me." Rider interrupted, and Waver fell silent. Rider sighed and drew his sword. "Come forth my friends!" he roared as reality buckled and broke as the combined will of numberless soldiers forced Gaea itself to bend before them. "Come and stand by my side!"

Archer smirked and nodded with satisfaction as Rider's reality marble snapped into place around him. Unlike before the reality marble manifested at the height of the day with Rider's armies already assembled behind him, their banners blowing in a fiery breeze. "Our enemy is the King of Heroes…" Rider declared. "…the first and greatest King of the Human race! Therefore my loyal soldiers let us show the eldest of Heroic Spirits our strength and our path of conquest!"

With a roar that shook the very fabric of the reality marble, Rider charged at the head of his armies, his personal guard trailing behind him and forming the spearhead of the vast formation of countless cavalry and infantry. Archer watched as they thundered towards him, his eyes and expression bereft of any and all enmity.

"Come paragons of the Age of the Gods." He solemnly said as he hefted a key-shaped sword in one hand. "I accept your challenges, and acknowledge the single, uniting dream shared among yourselves. But it seems that I must enlighten you to the truth: that dreams are merely dreams, and will disappear upon awakening. And now, I will awaken you."

Archer turned the key-sword, and the Gate of Babylon, forcibly sealed by Archer's willing entrapment within Rider's ideal world, was reopened. Crimson light flashed across the sky as the Gate reopened and presented the greatest weapon available to its master. The key-sword vanished, and Archer held in his hand a forbidding, cylindrical sword of the purest black, inscribed with glowing cuneiform in red. "King of Conquerors…" Archer said sternly. "…let me grant you this gift, and allow you to behold the Truth itself!"

Archer raised his sword, its three segments begin to rotate and twisting and collapsing reality itself around it. "Awaken Ea!" Archer roared as he brought Ea down to point at Rider and his armies. "Sing the song which split apart Heaven and Earth: **ENUMA ELISH!**"

A wave of force blasted out, the barest fraction of a power that at its greatest would have shattered Gaea itself, and Rider ground his teeth. "Hold on Waver!" he shouted as he pulled Bucephalus' reins and jumped over the wave. And then his eyes widened at the sight of the reality marble collapsing around them.

"Impossible…" Waver whispered in shock. "…a reality marble cannot be destroyed. It can only be dispelled at its master's wish or when Gaea finally overpowers it. An anti-fortress Noble Phantasm shouldn't be capable of destroying near-magic…no, it can't be! That is no anti-fortress weapon…that is an anti-world Noble Phantasm!"

Horrified realization struck Waver, and he turned only to see Rider's loyal warriors shouting in dismay as they fell to the void, their bodies dissolving as they were forcibly returned to the Throne of Heroes. Bucephalus slowed, and finally came to a halt as the reality marble's collapse came to an end and Gaea reasserted her will. "Rider…?" Waver whispered.

"Waver…" Rider began slowly. "…I have to ask you to do something for me."

"What…?"

"You share my dream, therefore I ask, no I command you not to spend your command spells."

"What are you…?"

"We have lost the battle, but we will not lose the war." Rider told him as he patted Waver on a shoulder. "I really wish it weren't like this, but as I said, this might be my final battle…for this war at least."

Waver's eyes widened, and closing his eyes nodded before dismounting. "I accept your command, my King." He whispered mournfully and with his head bowed. "We will meet again, and then we will start anew."

"Live Waver Velvet…" Rider said as he turned back to Archer. "…and let us again in time. Now let us go Bucephalus!" With a roar Rider charged at Archer, who smiled as the Gate of Babylon reopened and fired Noble Phantasms at him. "_One last charge for this campaign, one last chance to demonstrate the Way of the King to those who are left behind…courage and honour!_"

The sky turned to gold as the Gate of Babylon unleashed Archer's fury, but Rider rode on undeterred, parrying aside the gleaming blades flying at him. One blade struck Bucephalus down, but Rider buried the pain in his heart as he had in the past when Bucephalus fell in India, and rolled to the side to avoid the Noble Phantasms homing in. And then he was running on foot, still parrying away as he closed on his foe. Blades punched through his guard and pierced his shoulder and side, but he ignored the pain, until finally with a roar he swing his sword down at Archer's face…only to be halted barely an inch away as impossibly-strong chains bound him.

Archer briefly closed his eyes in respect at Enkidu straining to hold Rider back, and then he stabbed Rider through the chest with Ea. "Did you enjoy your dream, King of Conquerors?" he asked quietly.

Rider grinned sadly. "Yes, I enjoyed it." He replied as his eyes began to darken. "But this…campaign…wasn't…a waste…"

Archer smiled back as Rider began to dissolve into prana. "This entire world is my garden." He said. "Challenge me whenever you wish, I will always accept it."

"...that…is good to hear…"

Waver Velvet ground his teeth, and looked away as Rider vanished, tears beginning to flow down his face. "Boy…" Archer asked coldly as he approached. "…Rider has fallen. Bow and I shall spare your life."

"I will not bow." Waver said softly, raising his head and looking at Archer in the eyes. "I stood with Rider to the end, and I will stand for him regardless of his death."

"You consider yourself as his retainer? Then is it not your obligation to avenge him?"

"I will die."

"Of course you will."

"Then I cannot and must not attempt to do so. I have been commanded to live."

Archer looked on coldly for another moment, and then he sighed before patting Waver on the head. "Live boy…" he said. "…live and honour thy king." Archer began to turn away, his thoughts already working on a new line of wonder. "_What is wrong with this world? The young have spirit and potential worthy of us, and yet when they grow up, they grow dull and weak…but why?_"

Gold flashed and Waver's eyes widened as blood fountained in the night.

* * *

><p>AN

Cliff-hanger…!

I don't really have much to say, apart from asking you to look in between the lines of Rider's final command and you might see a preview for the sequel (to say nothing of the implied changes for Matou). Speaking of previews, the next chapter will be really dark (at least I think it is).

Here's a preview (skip if you want):

The air stank of ozone, melted fat and burned flesh, but Kirei cared nothing for that, only feeling the exultation flowing through him at the sight. Sakura breathed heavily before the smoking corpse, her back to him and to the others. Letting out an explosive breath, she turned…and Kirei couldn't help but begin to laugh in amusement at the heartless eyes that the six year-old possessed, eyes that did not belong to her.

Caster smiled, matching her daughter's vicious smile to the millimetre, gloved hands softly clapping with approval. "Well done child…" she said in congratulations. "…well done."


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 17

"The King of Heroes will defeat Rider." Tokiomi Tohsaka confidently told Aoi as they sat together in his workshop. He'd recovered to a significant extent, though he still needed a cane to help him walk and despite the risk he'd decided to allow his wife to stay at their home and assist him instead of returning to her parents and to Rin. "Once Rider falls, only Sabre and Caster will be left. Easy pickings for the King of Heroes."

Aoi looked unconvinced. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know." Aoi Tohsaka answered. "I feel so anxious, as though something terrible is about to happen."

"You shouldn't worry so." Tokiomi assured her. "We are quite safe here I assure you. Even if my bounded fields aren't capable of stopping a direct assault by either of the remaining Servants, they will hold long enough for Archer to arrive and help."

Aoi looked somewhat reassured, and with a grunt Tokiomi rose to his feet. "Now then…" he said pleasantly. "…shall we have a late meal? When he returns, we shall toast the King of Heroes' victory over Alexander the Great himself."

Aoi nodded and Tokiomi led the way out of the workshop. The doors opened, and husband and wife left. As they passed the threshold, a shadow moved from a corner and drew Tokiomi's attention…and then he was crying out in pain even as he collapsed to the ground, blood erupting from multiple lacerations where Black Keys had cut ligaments, tendons, and nerve links with surgical precision.

"Darling…!" Aoi barely had time to shout before she was gasping for breath, her hands desperately working against Kirei Kotomine's chokehold.

"There's no need to kill her…yet." Caster said as she appeared from around a corner, accompanied by Sakura who looked at her bleeding father with amused approval while contemptuously ignoring her birth-mother. "In any case it's not your decision to make."

"Yes mistress." The priest replied as he loosened his grip and allowed Aoi to breathe.

"Kirei…!" Tokiomi spat from the ground. "You witch…! You've placed him under your control!"

Caster shrugged dismissively. "So I did." She said without concern. "He's quite a useful pawn."

"Sakura…" Aoi said softly in shocked recognition. "…what are you doing here? Why do you look like that…that Servant?"

Sakura turned to Aoi with belligerent curiosity, and Caster did likewise only with unamused disdain. "What's this?" she said contemptuously. "Are you not only deaf but also forgetful? If this is a ploy to gain sympathy, then I warn you to stop. I do not suffer fools lightly."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Aoi insisted, and Caster narrowed her eyes beneath her hood while Sakura raised a hand and scanned Aoi magically.

"This is…!" she said in shocked surprise.

"I see…" Caster said in realization. "…her perceptions and memories have been altered. I'm not surprised, although I am impressed by your ruthlessness Tohsaka."

Sakura however felt rage building in her. "Did you…" she began through gritted teeth. "…did you do this…to my sister as well?"

Tokiomi didn't answer immediately and instead looked away. "I only did as a magus should have done." He finally said, and Sakura exploded. This…pig had not only sold her, but had violated her sister's mind! What right did he have to call himself a father? Shrieking with rage, she pulled out a ritual knife and began to run at Tokiomi, fully intent on mutilating him then and there…only for Caster to quickly reach out and hold her back with a firm hand around her knife arm.

Sakura looked at her mother in surprise, and Caster smiled soothingly. "Patience…" she told Sakura. "…patience my child…there's no point in winning a battle only to lose the war in the process. You will have your corpse, I assure you."

After a moment Sakura nodded, and Caster let her go. Sakura breathed deeply several times to regain her composure, while Kirei briefly tightened his grip on Aoi's neck when she tried to speak. "I applaud your ruthlessness in this situation Tohsaka…" Caster told the other magus. "…although it may be that you have destroyed yourself when you violated my daughter's sister's mind."

"She is not your daughter." Tokiomi ground out while vainly trying to summon the King of Heroes.

"There's no point in trying to use a command spell or trying to contact His Majesty." Caster informed him while ignoring his latest rebuttal. "Kirei here cut the links between your brain and your limbs, effectively preventing you from using either your command spells or your crest, while my bounded field stops any and all telepathic communication from this location until I see fit to remove it. I suppose you could still use magic through your other circuits…"

Caster paused and then laughed derisively. "…but a modern magus like you could never pose a threat to me…" She finished as she activated her viewing spell.

"Is the battle over?" Sakura asked.

"…no…" Caster replied. "…but it might as well be. From the look of things Rider's…it can't be!"

"What's wrong?"

In response Caster zoomed in on the cylindrical sword in Archer's hand. "That's the Star of Creation." She said in awe. "We always thought it was just a myth, but it actually exists!"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Mom…" she said delicately. "…you are a myth."

Caster looked at her and then laughed. "Well yes I suppose I can't argue that point."

"So what's so special about the Star of Creation?"

"It created the world for starters." Caster explained, and Sakura's eyes widened. "It was created and wielded by an unnamed god long before concepts of swords and gods existed, and predating the world as it did, its power is capable of killing not just gods, but even Gaea itself. It can be said to exist beyond the world, an embodiment of the Truth that is the origin of all things."

"I want one of those."

Caster looked amused and patted Sakura on the head. "Let's not get overambitious shall we?" she said, and Sakura looked abashed. Turning back to the image of the distant battle, she saw Rider begin to charge Archer. "It's almost time…Sakura, the next move is yours."

Sakura smiled and turned to her father. "Sakura…what are you…?" Tokiomi asked as Sakura came closer and kneeling down carved a magic circle onto his arm above his command spells with her ritual dagger. She did the same to her right hand and placed it above the matching circle on his arm. Tokiomi gasped as their command spells glowed as one, and realized what Sakura was planning. "Sakura stop!"

"There is no stopping." She told him point-blank. "Just as nothing could stop you from throwing me away, there is no stopping me from ensuring mom stays with me no matter what!"

"Do you think your sister will be fine with this?"

"She will understand." Sakura hissed, turning to look at her mother's viewing sphere and watching Archer approach Rider's Master. "Forgive me Your Majesty…"

"**NO!**"

"…by the power of the command spells…"

* * *

><p>Waver Velvet's eyes widened as the Gate of Babylon opened and fired a crimson spear right through Archer's chest, shearing through his golden armor and into his heart. The King of Heroes staggered in shock, gazing down in disbelief at Gae Bolg and dabbing at the blood beginning to trickle from his mouth.<p>

"Tokiomi…?" he whispered, as he continued to stagger but stubbornly remaining on his feet. "No, it's not him. This is…!"

Archer began to laugh, ignoring the hacking pain of his mortal injury and bringing the full force of his indomitable will to bear to forcibly open the link between Master and Servant. "No, do not fear child." He whispered as he sensed fear from Sakura's mind through the shared telepathic link. "It doesn't suit those of the Age of the Gods, or of one who has slain a King. You are…a terrible woman…just like your mother. I will suffer it though, and as punishment and reward I entrust to you…the vision…mother goddess..."

The laughter stopped and Archer's knees buckled as he fought to reach his Vimana. He felt fear turn to concern and regret, and Archer grinned. "A King dies on his feet…" he said instructively and addressing his words to both Sakura and to Waver. "…whether it is I or the great rebel that was the King of Conquerors…"

Archer coughed up blood as he leaned on the Vimana. "…I am the King of Humanity…" he whispered, looking up at the starry sky as his body began to fade away. "…and through them I will be King above the Gods as well. Farewell child, and to you as well Retainer to the King of Conquerors. I will watch from my throne in solitude, as Enkidu foretold. I will watch as Humanity transcends the limitations of the world, and reaches out for the light that came from millions of years away."

Summoning his will once more, Archer forced his body to retain its existence, and reached up with a hand and tugged at Gae Bolg. "Help me Enkidu…" he whispered. "…I will not die with this wretched thing through me."

The god-forged chains wrapped around the crimson spear…as did Waver's hands. "Boy…" Archer asked, and looking up at him. "…what are you doing?"

"You killed my King…" Waver answered. "…but he respected you. He rode to his death as befitted his and your station. Earlier you told me to honor my King…if I cannot even assist his greatest rival to die a worthy death, then how can I hope to honor him in the future?"

Archer grinned. "You are too smart for your own good…" he said as Enkidu's chains and Waver tensed. "…but I shall suffer it, as I have suffered the insolence of Caster's child. Finish the task at hand."

Waver drew a deep breath…and along with Enkidu tore Gae Bolg from Archer's chest. Blood erupted in crimson fountains from the gaping chest wound, and once more Archer's body began to dissolve into prana. "My thanks boy…" Archer said. "…you have honored your King tonight, so remember."

Waver bowed in respect, and Archer chuckled. As his body began to fade, he could almost feel Enkidu's presence seated beside him on the Vimana, and his hand fall gently against his armored shoulder. "_Humanity hasn't completely fallen, has it my King?_" the green-haired and impossibly-beautiful being asked and Archer chuckled.

"_No it has not my one and only friend._" Archer replied. "_Humanity's fate will soon be decided: destruction or rebirth._"

"_You already know how it ends._"

"_Of course I do. I am their King. They are not weak._"

"_Then let us watch and finish the grand spectacle together, as you decided long ago._"

"_Well said…my…friend…_"

* * *

><p>"Sakura…?" Caster ventured. "Is everything alright?"<p>

Sakura stood slowly and nodded. "What's the Earth Mother Goddess?"

"Ah…" Caster said while nodding in understanding. "…he told you of the Great Prophecy, didn't he? For those from the Age of the Gods, she is the Great Mother, she who created all things and sustains it, all the while taking it before giving it anew. She is life and death in equal measure, feeding those who live of herself, and claiming those who die to make way for the next generation. All deities and similarly transcendental beings descended from her, and none bound by the limitations of those who inherited her authority may defy her."

Caster paused and looked at Tokiomi. "Modern magi know of her differently, and seek her out, never knowing that their pursuit of her is doomed to fail. Even if they reach her, Humanity's current infantile state – the one shared aspect of our kind between now and the Age of the Gods – only guarantees the seeker's death. Even if they survive, they cannot fully hold the power that is our birthright as is foretold by the Great Prophecy, and can only use fragments of it like children playing with toys fashioned in the likeness of the real thing."

"It can't be…!" Tokiomi breathed in horrified revelation.

"Yes…" Caster confirmed. "…you know it as Akasha, the Root of all Creation. And the Great Prophecy is Humanity surpassing its infantile limitations and leaving the world behind, and in so doing inherit the power of creation for itself, by the will of the Great Mother."

"King Gilgamesh…" Sakura whispered. "…he said to fulfill the prophecy as atonement for killing the King."

"It's not going to be easy." Caster told her. "Modern magi will stand against you, as will Gaea. Despite being born of the Great Mother, and thus knowing her will, the planet does not wish for the Great Prophecy to be fulfilled. She will destroy Humanity rather than see a transcendental Humanity claim her mother's power for themselves!"

"If something's easy, then it's not worth it." Sakura quipped. "You taught me that yourself."

Caster laughed. "That's true." She agreed. "Well, I suppose now you have something to look forward to when you're older."

Sakura beamed, and then her expression fell. "Ah yes…" Caster noticed. "…the task at hand. Well, the final decision is yours Sakura. Will you be merciful…or not?"

Sakura was silent for a long time, and then she turned to look at her father on the floor. "I was going to let you both live you know…" she said coolly. "…if I killed you sister would be saddened. But after everything you've done…I was willing to forgive you selling me…but violating my sister's mind…"

Tokiomi lowered his head. "Kill me if it makes you happy…" he said softly. "…I only did what I did for you and your sister's sake. But now…everything that I have pursued and held dear is in ruins. Please…spare your sister and…her mother."

Caster and Sakura were silent, and after a moment Sakura turned to face Kirei. "...Father Kotomine…" she said, and Caster's face fell in disappointment. "…release Aoi Tohsaka."

The priest complied, and the woman immediately ran to her husband and helped him up to a sitting position. Sakura walked back to her mother along with Kirei, while Caster looked on with disappointment.

_It seems that Sakura won't have a similar spiritual alignment as I do. Oh well, I suppose Chaotic Good isn't so bad either, though it might cause problems in the future…_

Caster's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Sakura whirled, her hands rising and held out horizontally towards Aoi and Tokiomi. Crackling sheets of blue-white lightning ripped from her fingers, striking the pair and sending Tokiomi tumbling back while Aoi was hurled with a scream of pain into Tokiomi's workshop.

"You said that everything you pursued and held dear was in ruins, father." Sakura said while walking closer and trailed by an ecstatic Caster and Kirei. "You know it…but you don't understand. You can only understand what you experience."

A second barrage of lightning erupted and floored Aoi as she struggled to stand. "Do you know who my mother is?" Sakura asked figuratively as she fired a third burst of lightning. "She's Medea from Greek mythology. Someone who understands what you did to me because her husband did the same to her."

A fourth barrage of lightning erupted, this time a sustained burst that caused Aoi to scream in agony as prana-fuelled streams of energy coursed over her body, burning through her clothes and leaving her skin covered with electrical burns of varying degrees. "Sakura please stop!" she pleaded, but her plea was ignored as the torment continued. The physical pain was bad enough…but the emotional agony was even worse. Her own daughter, the one she had brought into the world, was not only torturing her to death, but had also ignored her plea for mercy. "Darling…! Tokiomi…! Help me!"

Roaring in fury, Tokiomi heaved his body off of the floor by altering his magic circuits into a makeshift network of nerves to regain control of his limbs. Despite knowing that doing so would leave him a cripple both physically and magically, he lunged at Sakura, desperate to stop his wife's torment…only to have Caster literally step on him and flooring him once more.

_The Caster-class may be the weakest of them all, but she was still a Heroic Spirit._

"Worms are meant to grovel and crawl, so stay down!" she spat, and risking a glance to the side, saw Kirei watching with a neutral expression…but with eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. Caster's lips twitched into a smile, and she released her control over Kirei's body. The priest felt his free will return…but he didn't care. Instead he kept on watching, and exulted in the crackling of lightning, the sharp stench of ozone, the agonized screams and pitiful pleas for mercy.

_For him this was comparable to high art._

And then it was over. Sakura ceased her onslaught, and watched as the badly-burnt woman gasped and shivered on the ground. Aoi's clothes had since been burned off, but she was completely unrecognizable. All her hair had been burnt off, and her entire body was covered with second and third-degree burns. Assuming she survived a long recovery process with no guarantee of success, she would be scarred for life.

**Sakura Tohsaka** looked on emotionlessly, her mind running through memories. She saw herself running and playing through flowered fields with her sister in the spring sunshine, while their mother looked on. She saw herself and her sister learning how to read and write, taught by their mother. She saw her younger self being tended to in sickness.

**Sakura Matou** closed her eyes…and saw once more the pit with its worms and other disgusting things. She saw her mother look on with an encouraging smile as she was led away by hollow-eyed men in suits to a car where her 'grandfather' waited with a predatory smile.

**Princess Sakura of Colchis **opened her eyes…and fired a fifth and final burst of lightning. The intensity of the lightning was such that the cracking of displaced air completely drowned out the death screams of Aoi Tohsaka, the sharp stench of ozone mixing with the stink of melted fat and burning flesh. Tendrils of lightning leaped and stroked the surroundings, the blindingly-white bolts tearing through compact bounded fields and preserving spells to destroy books and priceless heirlooms without regard for their importance.

Tokiomi screamed and roared in fury and denial, his rage and desperation feeding him strength…to no avail. With a roll of her eyes, Caster cruelly shifted her foot and snapped Tokiomi's spine and paralyzed him from the waist down.

And finally it was over.

A blackened corpse lay on the floor amidst the ruins of the Tohsaka workshop, and the new princess stood heaving with heavy breaths near the entryway. "How do you feel Sakura?" Caster asked confidently, both she and Kirei sporting delighted expressions and ignoring Tokiomi's despair-filled sobs.

Sakura explosively let out a breath…and whirled with a smile and heartless eyes. "I'm tired." She said, and Caster laughed. "Lightning is pure power…but I'm still too young to use it for too long. Maybe when I'm older…a girl can dream can't she?"

Caster laughed as she walked over and past Tokiomi, kneeling down and embracing Sakura warmly. Sakura smiled wider and hugged her back. "Of course you can my dear." Caster assured her with a kiss and Sakura giggled. "You will inherit my power, and with the blessing of the King of Heroes lead the world."

Almost as an afterthought Caster turned to Kirei. "What will you do now priest? What will you do now that you have accepted your true self?"

Kirei laughed a loud and powerful laugh, feeling at peace with himself for the first time in his life. Oh the question was still there, but he wasn't empty anymore. That was the furthest from the truth. "We still have much to do, don't we Caster?" he asked with a smile.

Caster laughed. "Yes…" she agreed. "…now come. The final battle awaits us!"

Kirei walked over to Caster's side, the Servant of the Spell teleporting herself and her companions to safety. Left alone, Tokiomi dragged himself to Aoi's side and leaving trails of blood from his wounds behind him. His strength gave out before he could reach her, but undeterred reached out with an arm and desperate fingers…only for his spell to finally give way and his makeshift nervous system to cease to exist.

Unable to reach the one he loved, his magic gone and alone with the fresh memories of his own daughter murdering his wife, Tokiomi Tohsaka screamed in despair.

* * *

><p>AN

Ah this chapter is probably the best I've ever written, at the risk of sounding like an egomaniac.

Some of you would ask why did Waver bow now, when he refused to bow in the previous chapter? Well back then he was being asked to bow as a defeated enemy, but here he bows as Alexander's trusted retainer honoring the death of his master's recognized rival.

As for the Earth Mother Goddess – look her up on Type-Moon wiki. She's described as being the Root, and that Gaea is descended from her. And by surpassing the planet, Humanity will gain the power to defy her authority and the authority inherited by Gaea and her other descendants. And since Gilgamesh is King of all Mankind, this will also allow him to claim the title 'King over the Gods' (since his subjects will have surpassed the gods themselves).

And finally, Emperor Palpatine I introduce Princess Sakura (LMAO).


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 18

Risei Kotomine paced uneasily around his private chambers the following morning, much to the discomfort of the two persons taking refuge in the Church from the climaxing Holy Grail War. "If it bothers you so much, why not simply go and check things out for yourself?" Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri finally said in exasperation, and Waver Velvet nodded his agreement.

"It's not nearly as simple as that." Risei responded, and the redhead rolled her eyes.

"I still don't see why you're so worried about Tohsaka…" she muttered. "…when all is said and done he's just another Master or rather an ex-Master. If he couldn't get here then he's probably dead, either at Caster's hands or at the hands of Sabre's Master."

"There's probably more here than meets the eye." Waver suggested sagely, and Risei fidgeted in response. It would not do for the alliance between the Holy Church and the Tohsaka Clan to be discovered.

"I've known Tokiomi since he was a child." Risei grudgingly admitted. "Despite my neutrality in the current affair, I cannot help but be more than a little concerned."

"And as I said before go check up on him if it bothers you so much." Sola said, the argument coming full circle. "It's not like pacing like you're doing right now will help much."

After a moment the exasperated Risei sighed and left, leaving the two former Masters alone. "He's very suspicious." Waver observed. "One would almost think that he's panicking at the thought that Tokiomi had been defeated."

"I agree." Sola concurred with the boy. "When I get back to London I'm going to have the connections between the Tohsaka and the Holy Church checked. I know they have strong ties with each other, but measures will have to be taken in the event of treason."

Waver began to fidget in his turn, and the older magus smiled impishly. "Are you afraid to return to London?" she said cuttingly, and the boy whimpered.

"Yes."

"I'm not surprised." She said. "The House of Archibald will probably blame you as the indirect cause of Kayneth's death and the destruction of his crest. But…"

Waver looked at her suspiciously. "But what…?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the priest's return, and the two magi immediately raised eyebrows at the very concerned expression on his face. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you for now." Risei told them while putting on a coat. "I just got off the phone from Tokiomi's in-laws and they told me they've had no contact with either Tokiomi or his wife."

"And that is unusual how…?" Sola pressed.

"From what I've heard it seems that Aoi Tohsaka makes contact with her parents and her daughter every morning before the latter goes to school." He replied. "She didn't this morning."

"She could have just forgotten you know." Waver pointed out.

"Either that, or she was busy 'comforting' her husband after last night's end to his role in the war." Sola followed-up much to Waver and Risei's discomfort.

"The latter might be likely…" the priest conceded. "…but not the former. Tokiomi is somewhat…obsessive with perfection among other things, and you might say that his influence over his wife goes rather deep."

Sola snorted in disdain. "In other words a wannabe aristocrat." She said dismissively. "Aristocracy is overrated, and I know that quite well seeing as I'm the only one worthy of that title in the whole city. And personally I do not see why that woman of his would be so devoted to him. He's about as dull and as good-looking as that idiot Kayneth."

Risei coughed to dispel the uncomfortable air. "At any rate I'm going to have to go and check the Tohsaka Estate. Please remain civil while I am otherwise occupied."

"We're going along." Sola said, much to Waver and Risei's surprise.

"You are…?"

"We are…?"

"You don't seriously expect to just leave us here, do you?"

"But…"

"Assuming Tohsaka is alive and well then we'll return to the church." Sola continued. "It's not like a magus would let other magi into his home and risk the loss of his mysteries. On the other hand, if he is dead then having a pair of experienced magi with you to assist would be a godsend."

Waver muttered something about not being all that experienced and the older magus rolled her eyes. "You managed to summon a Servant and a first-class one at that…" she pointed out. "…and while your little manuscript won't really get much attention from the fossils of the Clock Tower I can assure you that it is top material. Don't be so hard on yourself: you're much more than you appear or think of yourself."

Waver and Risei stared at her, their mouths hanging slightly open at her words. Sola raised an eyebrow. "What, did you expect me to be just like Kayneth?" she asked acidly. "I'll be the first to admit that I'm cruel, selfish, and bad-tempered, but I'm nothing like him. I may be an aristocrat and a magus, but I don't revel in it, if only because it so _boring _to be one."

Risei made a strangling sound in his throat before turning away. "Oh very well…" he grudgingly agreed. "…you can come along. Just hurry and get ready. I have a very bad feeling about this."

* * *

><p>"Iri…" Kiritsugu Emiya began sadly. "…I'm sorry."<p>

"What are you apologizing for?" Irisviel von Einzbern asked as she lay paralyzed on a magic circle on the ground in a back room of Castle von Einzbern. "You…we both know that this is how it was always meant to end."

"Not quite…" Kiritsugu disagreed. "…there is still one more Servant out there."

"Caster…" Irisviel agreed. "…then you need not worry. Sabre should be more than a match for her. I understand that you don't quite see eye-to-eye, but believe in her Kiri. She is the key to winning this war, and making your dream of lasting peace a reality."

Kiritsugu didn't answer, and just looked away. "But the price…" he whispered.

Irisviel smiled softly. "The path of least bloodshed…" she reminded him, and he looked sharply. "…don't lose your resolve now my love, not when you're so close to winning and saving the world."

Kiritsugu nodded and knelt down. "Goodbye Irisviel…" he said softly. "…I…"

Irisviel smiled at him. "I know…" she said. "…I love you too. By the way, before you remove Avalon, can I ask a favor?"

"What…?"

"This is a nice country." She said. "When the world is safe and sound, please bring Illya here. I'm sure she'll enjoy her visit."

Kiritsugu smiled and held out his hands over Irisviel's midsection. "I promise." He said, and activating his circuits began to remove Avalon from his wife's body. Golden lightning crackled in between his fingers and Irisviel's torso, and with a flash of light the gold and blue sheath materialized in his hand. Holding the sacred artifact close, he leaned closer to his wife and gave her a kiss. "Goodbye…"

Standing up with a stern expression on his face, the Magus Killer held the Noble Phantasm tight and absorbed it into his body with another flash of golden light. Leaving the room, he gave a nod at Sabre who along with Maiya was standing at a respectful distance away. "Maiya…" he told his assistant. "…Risei Kotomine will probably come to claim Irisviel. Have him wait for my return upon Caster's death."

The assassin nodded, and Kiritsugu turned to Sabre. "What's your plan Kiritsugu?" the blonde asked.

"We'll ambush Caster tonight." He replied, and Sabre raised an eyebrow.

"You know where she is?" she asked, and Kiritsugu nodded.

"To an extent…" he answered, and then he began to explain. "…as you know the Grail can manifest in three places: the first is at Ryuudo Temple atop Mt Ryuudo, but Caster's little stunt earlier has destroyed the summoning grounds, though thankfully it didn't affect the core beneath. The second is at Kotomine Church, and the third is at the Fuyuki Civic Center."

"Caster will be at one of the latter." Sabre said in realization, and Kiritsugu nodded again.

"I've been keeping tabs on our enemies and other strategic areas with my familiars…" he continued. "…and while I've been unable to locate her new hideout, I've discovered her familiars beginning to move into the area around the civic center. Fortunately she hasn't quite finished her preparations, so if we strike fast and hard…"

"…then we can finish this war on our terms." Sabre finished and nodded. "I understand. Please leave the fighting to me, Kiritsugu."

* * *

><p>"Something doesn't feel right about this place." Waver whispered as they entered the Tohsaka Estate.<p>

"I agree." Sola said. "There's something not quite right here, as though…I don't know. I've never felt anything like this before, only read about it: a place of death."

"Then we must hurry…" Risei said as he opened the front door and cautiously entered, followed by the two magi who opened their circuits as they passed the threshold. "…I fear the worst…!"

Waver and Risei gagged at the scent pervading the manor interior. Sola however merely narrowed her eyes – having attended more than a few interrogation sessions of Sealing Designates and Dead Apostles, she was no stranger to the stench of death, and probably a brutal one at that. "Tokiomi…Aoi…!" Risei hissed in concern as he ran ahead of them, the magi hurrying along.

Nothing could prepare them for the sight that awaited them in the ruins of the Tohsaka workshop, and Waver retched at the sight of the blackened corpse oozing with putrefaction, as Sola recoiled and Risei rushed to aid the unconscious man lying beside it. "Tokiomi…?" he said as he shook the man awake. "What happened here? Tokiomi…!"

"It was Sakura…" Tokiomi whispered deliriously. "…Sakura…she killed…Aoi…Sakura…Sakura…it's my fault…I shouldn't have…but I had to…"

"You pathetic fool…" Risei said while shaking his head with a mix of admonition and pity. "…you've brought this on yourself, but at least you know it. Don't lose yourself…get a grip man! Rin's still alive, and she'll need you now more than ever with her mother dead!"

"…Rin…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…I'm not…I've failed…magus…father…"

"He's completely delirious." Sola said shortly after kneeling down and running a brief scan of Tokiomi's body. "I'd say it's a mix of mental trauma as well as blood poisoning."

"Blood poisoning…?" Risei said incredulously.

"The corpse – I'm guessing it's his wife – has been soaking the carpet beneath with rot." Sola explained. "Some of it has gotten to his wounds. And that's rather interesting to say the least."

"You heartless bitch…!"

"Save the recriminations for later, priest." Sola said dismissively before indicating the injuries on the raving magus. "As a spiritual doctor, I need to be objective at the moment. As it is, the injuries are rather interesting due to the fact that they've been made with incredible precision. Whoever did this made sure to avoid damaging critical organs and intended only to sever key nerve bundles and tendons among others…paralysis…"

Sola's voice trailed off, and she ran a deeper scan. "There's mild electric shock here…possible exposure to lightning magecraft…that would also be a possible cause of death for his wife considering the ozone in the air…"

"How brutal…" Waver whispered in horror, shuddering and turning green as he glanced at Aoi's corpse once more.

"I quite agree." Sola said as she briefly examined Aoi's remains. "It's possible that she was killed in one blow…but the damage is more consistent with a steady exposure to lightning magecraft over a period of time. It's highly probable that she was tortured to death."

Risei shook his head. "Sakura…" he said ruefully. "…truly there is nothing crueler or more innocent than a child."

"Who is this Sakura anyway?" Sola asked. "I gather she murdered Tohsaka's wife…a mistress perhaps?"

"She's his younger daughter, or was."

Waver gasped. "She's killed her own mother!" he said in horrified realization.

Risei smiled and shook his head sadly. "From what I hear, blood adoption was involved." He explained. "Aoi Tohsaka may have borne her, but Sakura is not her daughter anymore."

"_Blood adoption…_" Sola thought. "_…I'm going to have to keep that in mind when I meet with Lancer in the future._"

"…motive?" Risei was saying in response to Waver as Sola focused herself back to the present. "Tokiomi gave up his younger daughter to Zouken Matou, who if you must know is a pseudo-Dead Apostle. She was supposed to be the next heiress of their family, but the training is more than harsh. It's basically torture, involving getting infested by worm familiars who 'carve' their mysteries into the body."

"That's disgusting!" Waver exploded. "Why hasn't the Church done anything? Don't you people hate vampires?"

"He's not a vampire…at least not exactly."

"I call bullshit! That's just a technicality!" Waver snarled. "And Tohsaka…he and his wife knew this?"

"Yes. Tokiomi agreed to send Sakura away, and Aoi assented."

"Then they deserved what they got." Waver said, and walking over spat on Aoi's corpse much to Risei's horror.

"What are you…?"

"Spare your sympathies priest…" Sola said coldly as she stood. "…the life of a magus is a harsh one indeed, but above all else we retain our pride as Human beings. We feel…we hate…we love…we suffer…but to throw away our own children to inhuman monsters…someone who would do that cannot be called a magus. We are Humans above everything else, above even the art itself. Monsters deserve only our scorn."

Sola looked down on Tokiomi. "His crest is surprisingly intact, but his spine is broken and his natural magic circuits have been destroyed. The reason behind them will require additional examination, but I've no further interest in assisting a pathetic excuse for both a father and a magus." She turned to Waver and made a gesture. "Come on boy, I don't think we need to dignify this place with our presence."

"I agree." He said darkly, and without a backward glance left Risei alone to tend to his injured and delirious ally.

* * *

><p>Maiya Hisau brooded in the evening shadows of Castle von Einzbern, keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings. She kept the lights off, and kept her senses strained for any sign of danger. There were a series of surges of prana and her eyes widened.<p>

_The bounded fields were down. Intruders could now enter the territory without fear of retribution._

Cursing silently, she pulled out her radio and was about to contact Kiritsugu when she saw someone appear down the hallway. Her eyes widened in recognition. "_Kirei Kotomine…_" she thought in horror. "_…he's supposed to be dead isn't he?_"

The priest crossed his arms, and Black Keys appeared between his fingers. Snarling, Maiya opened up with her Calico on full auto, only for the priest's hands to blur as he intercepted each and every shot. Once her ammo was spent, he leapt forward to attack, parrying a thrown dagger and dodging shots from Maiya's handgun.

"Shit…!" she said as Kirei closed, and then she screamed as an upward swipe carved her left forearm to pieces. Kirei followed-through as she fell back, delivering a staggering series of blows that shattered several ribs and ruptured several organs. As she fell to the ground, gasping in pain, Kirei loomed over her with his Black Keys poised to deliver the killing blow.

"Stop…!" Caster barked, and the priest came to a halt with his eyes going wide with surprise. "There is no need to kill her."

"Is there any particular reason to spare her?" Kirei countered as he straightened.

"Use your head priest." Caster answered scathingly. "She's Emiya's mistress. The Grail vessel is his wife. But if the latter died and the former survives the war, how do you think he will feel?"

Kirei looked thoughtful for a moment and then he smiled as he dismissed his Black Keys. "I see your point." He conceded. "But while it works for me, what's in it for you?"

Caster smiled back. "I suppose you could call it a whim, something that might make life interesting in the future." She replied, and Kirei laughed.

"Well what right do I have to tell you not to do what makes you happy?" he said mockingly, and after a nod from Caster headed for the back room where Irisviel lay in repose. Caster for her part walked closer, and without losing her inscrutable smile, waved a hand. Maiya felt the pain subside and vanish as her injuries were magically healed, and at the same time felt herself being paralyzed by a binding spell.

"Now, now…" Caster told her. "There's no need to be worried, I've no intention of killing you as I've already said. But at the same time I can't let you contact Emiya until we're gone from here. It would not be wise to let him get the initiative after all."

Maiya just stared back hatefully, and Caster's smile widened. "Those are nice eyes." She commented. "You are strong. I like that. Women should be strong and be able to stand up for themselves."

Caster broke off and turned to look at Kirei as he returned with Irisviel. The homunculus hung limply in his arms, though her eyes clearly expressed her shock and fear. "Excellent…" Caster said as she walked over to the priest and took hold of an arm. "…everything is going according to plan. You may contact your benefactor now if you so wish, assassin."

As Caster and company teleported away, Maiya sat up with a groan and pulling out her radio swiftly contacted Kiritsugu. "We have a problem."

* * *

><p>Kirei set Irisviel down on a table in the middle of a deserted theatre in the Fuyuki Civic Center. "Will you be fine fighting Sabre on your own?" the priest asked.<p>

"Showing concern for my health…?" Caster asked with evident amusement. "That's not like you."

"Don't misunderstand me." Kirei said with mild affront. "However it would not do for me to spend so much effort fighting Kiritsugu only to lose in the end when Sabre cuts you down."

"A fair point…" Caster conceded, and Kirei's eyes widened as silvery portals opened and several constructs emerged from Caster's alternate space. "…but you will find that I am quite capable of matching Sabre. Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. I cannot lose."

Kirei laughed as he recognized the quote, though Caster probably didn't realize what she had just said. "In that case I leave Sabre to you." he said with a mocking bow, and then turning, broke Irisviel's neck with one smooth motion. Stepping back, he watched as Irisviel's dead body began to burn with golden flames that radiated no heat, her material components shifting in alchemical transmutation to form a golden cup that hovered above the table.

"That's the Lesser Grail." Caster remarked, and Kirei nodded.

"Yes…" he confirmed. "…in a few minutes it will begin to fill with the energies of the Servants that have fallen so far. Once Sabre falls and her energy is added to the Grail, then we may proceed to bring about the miracles we seek."

Caster smiled and turned to leave accompanied by Kirei. "Then let us go and greet tonight's guests." She said. "As the hosts for the final battle, it is our obligation to indulge them their violent impulses."

Closing the theatre doors behind them, the sorceress and the priest left the Grail alone in the deserted theatre. It hung in the air, its golden form radiating a warm and inviting light across the room. And then it began to fill, bubbling black mud oozing from nothingness to fill the Cup of Heaven to overflowing and spilling out over the table and the ground beneath it.

* * *

><p>AN

This is a bridging chapter for the next battle, and some development for Sola who'll probably return along with Lancer in the sequel. I don't really have much else to say for this chapter, although I do have a few responses to reviews for previous chapters.

DarkJackel: Yes Sakura is Neutral Evil. Caster only suspected she might be Chaotic Good when it seemed that she would show mercy. It turns out that Sakura is like her mother through and through. And she really did intend to spare Tokiomi and Aoi, at least at first until she learned that Tokiomi had mind-raped Rin. Nothing more painful than to watch one's love die in excruciating pain and not being able to do anything about it.

Guest: Sakura here is Shinji's cousin, given that Medea is legally Byakuya and Kariya's sister.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 19

Kiritsugu Emiya and Sabre ran towards the rear entrance of the Fuyuki Civic Center across the exterior parking area, ignoring the fact that people as dangerous as Caster and Kirei Kotomine would know that they – Kiritsugu and Sabre – would never attack from the front. It would be expected they would attack from the rear.

Kiritsugu didn't care. Caster had managed to outmaneuver them, taking Irisviel and moving her into her territory. Sabre didn't care either. She had never liked the witch, considering that she gave off the same aura as her half-sister, Morgana. She knew all too well what people like that were capable of.

They had almost reached the entrance when a pair of beams lanced down, and carving a glowing gash across the parking lot between Kiritsugu to the front and nearer the building, and Sabre to the rear, the blonde Servant leaping back into a defensive stance. "Good evening…" Caster greeted them as her shroud collapsed, and exposing the cloaked and hooded Servant flying low in the sky. "…welcome to the final battle of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Kiritsugu Emiya, your opponent awaits you within."

"Where's Iri?" the Magus Killer demanded angrily.

"The Grail is where it belongs." Caster replied, and Kiritsugu ground his teeth.

"Damn it…" he whispered, and then he turned to face Sabre. "…Sabre, defeat Caster!"

The blonde nodded, and then Kiritsugu ran to the entrance and entered the building. Left alone, the two Servants regarded each other in silence. After several moments Caster smiled and broke the silence. "The two of us are the final contenders for the Grail then." She said. "If so, then it would only be courteous for me to fight not as the Caster-class Servant for this war, but as who I really am. Servant Sabre no, King Arthur of Britain, I am Princess Medea of Colchis. I will be your opponent tonight, Your Majesty."

Sabre narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "If you expect my respect…" she said softly. "…then you are wasting your time. Kidnapping a helpless woman…"

"That woman…" Medea interrupted dismissively. "…would have died inevitably tonight regardless of whether I took her or not, or whoever wins this battle. You know this."

"…would have died…?" Sabre echoed in horrified realization. "Medea you witch…!"

The sorceress smiled unpleasantly. "Now, now, there's no need to be so insulting." She said. "As I said, the Grail is where it belongs. I merely took the initiative and ensured that the moment our battle is won, the miracles we seek shall be realized."

"I won't let you win, Your Highness." Sabre snarled, and Medea chuckled.

"It's good to see your resolve…let us begin!" she hissed, and magic circles flared to life around her as she flew higher and gestured with her staff. Multiple beams began to rain down on Sabre's position, forcing the blonde to run and dodge and concede the offense – for the moment – to her opponent.

Sabre ground her teeth as she danced around the parking lot and the surrounding grounds, Medea's beams leaving smoking craters wherever they struck. She had A-rank magic resistance, so why was she even dodging the attacks? She should be able to tank them, and take Medea down from the front.

_But my instincts tell me never to get hit by those beams._

Cursing she dove and ran as the barrage of energy continued, and Medea chuckled again as she continued to fly over the battlefield and rained bright death down on her ground-bound foe. She watched as Sabre ran across the ruined parking lot, and used lampposts and the building itself to jump to her position. "Medea…!" the blonde shouted as she leaped towards the sorceress.

Medea smirked and lashed out with a hand…and Sabre's eyes widened as something dully black streaked out and struck her hard, sending her flying back down to the ground with a cry. Medea's laughter echoed across the battlefield as Sabre got up from the crater she'd made upon landing. Her eyes widened.

Silver portals opened around Medea, and nine black spheres emerged to float in a circle behind her. The flowing, whip-like construct which had struck her down and apparently made up of the same black material coalesced into a sphere and joined the other spheres behind her. "What…?" she whispered. "Are those Noble Phantasms?"

"Hmm…? Oh these aren't Noble Phantasms." Medea answered. "These are mere mystic codes. Created by reverse-engineering the Lord El-Melloi's Volumen Hydragyrum and then applying their concepts by means of mysteries long since lost by modern magi."

"They have properties of both solids and liquids from both the feel and look of things." Sabre replied with a knowing smile, and Medea smiled back.

"Clever girl…" she replied. "…it took a lot of effort on my part, and I had to combine four of the five metaphysical elements to get it done, but I managed to pull it off."

"Just one question then before we continue…" Sabre asked as she tensed. "…do you really think those toys of yours would work against me?"

"Or rather…" Medea corrected. "…would it work against you're A-rank magic resistance?"

Sabre said nothing, and Medea laughed. "It seems that you, like most people, are under the delusion that A-rank magic resistance makes you invincible against magi. You are however incorrect. A-rank magic resistance only makes you untouchable against modern magi. And I am a magus of the ancient era!"

Light flashed and Sabre briefly had time to dodge as the beams began to rain down once more, only this time with greater speed and intensity from before. The sorceress flew even higher to command a greater firing arc, while Sabre no longer confined her evasion to the area around the Fuyuki Civic Centre. "Medea…" she shouted. "…this battle is…!"

"Your guard is down." Medea replied as she took aim with her staff and fired a bolt of lightning. Sabre managed to avoid taking it head on, but it struck a leg and a screaming Sabre was sent flying by the glancing hit into a convenience store. The patrons and employees scattered as the armored blonde literally fell through the roof. "The supervisor can clean up afterwards. Once I have the Grail he has no hold over me at any rate."

Sabre quickly healed her leg and jumped out of the ruined building the same way she'd gone in, even as the beams leveled it and most of the surrounding area. By this point the battle was moving into the greater city, and the citizens – already shaken by an apparent act of nuclear terrorism with the destruction of Ryuudo Temple – panicked and began to flee as two beings that wouldn't be out of place in an anime fought each other.

Once more, Sabre began to use the surrounding high-rise buildings to jump up to Medea's level, and also to conceal her approach before attacking. As she jumped at Medea from behind, the sorceress glanced disdainfully over a shoulder as her spheres reacted automatically, forming whip-like shapes which grabbed her legs and hurled her into a skyscraper. Medea followed through with her beams, and collapsed the building over the blonde.

Smirking, Medea gestured and five spheres formed dagger-like shapes before lancing through the air and intercepting the blonde as she tumbled out of the ruins. Cursing, Sabre dodged and parried the mystic codes flying at high speed around her…and exposed herself to ranged attack.

A tree trunk-sized bolt of lightning was fired from Medea's staff, the sorceress having descended to the ground, and struck Sabre in the back. Screaming in agony as the lightning enveloped her the blonde was sent flying down the street before landing hard enough to crater the ground. Medea smirked…and then turned angrily as policemen appeared and began to open fire on her.

"Mere insects…" she sneered, and with a gesture she obliterated them and everything behind her with a blinding burst of light. She smirked again…and again lost it as she felt a surge of prana behind her.

She turned, and she saw a whirlwind erupting from inside Sabre's crater. "No…!" she shouted, and the whirlwind dissipated to show a largely-healed but stern-faced Sabre holding the golden sword Excalibur in her hands. There was another burst of prana, and Medea's eyes widened in shock as prana burst allowed Sabre to close the distance between them near-instantaneously.

Three spheres flowed to form a semi-circular shield, but it barely slowed Excalibur down. As it was, Medea was barely able to avoid getting cut down, merely losing her right arm as she ascended back into the sky.

"What's wrong Medea?" Sabre asked mockingly. "Is the close combat getting to you?"

Medea narrowed her eyes angrily as her magic quickly regenerated her arm. Unfortunately, the spheres destroyed in shield form by Excalibur were permanently destroyed.

_It seems that I've underestimated Sabre...but…_

Medea gestured and fired a focused blast, several of her normal beams converging to form a single coherent beam of light. Sabre responded by taking Excalibur in a two-handed grip, and with an effort of will and physical strength, deflected the beams to the side. The purple wave of energy blasted outwards, destroying vehicles and buildings alike, and immolating anyone caught in its path. "_I will take responsibility for those deaths once the Grail is mine._" Sabre though resolutely. "_No more blaming. No more running. I am King Arthur. And I will uphold chivalry to end, and beyond if need be._"

Medea for her part was smiling. She had a newfound respect for her foe, having demonstrated her own sense of ruthlessness and resolve.

…_I never enjoyed fighting weaklings._

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu kicked the doors open into another room, both of his guns held at the ready. The room was long, and wide, but it was empty. Nevertheless, he advanced cautiously, for there was a service section around and above the room that was unlit: a perfect place for an ambush to be sprung from. As such, Kiritsugu kept his senses reinforced and his crest active, ready to respond at a moment's notice.<p>

"Kiritsugu Emiya." A deep voice echoed around the room, and the man tensed.

"Kirei Kotomine." The Magus Killer responded in kind. "So you really are alive."

"Is that surprising?"

"Not really, no…" Kiritsugu responded tensely. "…you are a former Executor, so I know that you are a very hard man to kill. But there's no way you could have survived the debacle at Mt Ryuudo on your own."

"Caster is a very generous benefactor." Kirei responded from the shadows and despite himself Kiritsugu couldn't help from smiling slightly.

"That woman is dangerous." He responded. "She smells of evil. I'm surprised that a man of the cloth like you would deign to work with her. I mean Tohsaka is one thing, but someone like her? I don't know who she is, but I'd never trust her."

Kirei laughed, and much to his frustration Kiritsugu found that the acoustics of the room around them kept him from pinpointing Kirei's location by voice. "I see." The priest said. "If you're in a talking mood, why don't we talk for a while before fighting?"

"I don't see any problem with that." Kiritsugu said without relaxing. _I'll win by default once Sabre defeats Caster anyway._

"Good…" Kirei said approvingly. "…you don't let a moment's peace distract you from the nearest enemy. I am impressed Kiritsugu."

"I'm sure you are."

"In that case, my first question is: what are you fighting for?"

"World peace…" Kiritsugu immediately answered. The resulting silence was profound.

"What?" Kirei asked incredulously.

"…I fight for what I just said." Kiritsugu affirmed. "Everything I do, and everything I have done, I have done in the name of justice, and for the sake of lasting peace."

"That makes no sense." Kirei continued with a confused tone of voice. "All the people you've killed…"

"I walk the path of least bloodshed…" Kiritsugu explained. "…one life to save ten, ten to save a hundred…"

Laughter erupted, hard and loud, echoing across the room and interrupting Kiritsugu much to his annoyance. "…what's so funny?"

"I'm sorry…" Kirei responded in between chuckles. "…it's just that…it's…it's so funny…you fight for a greater good, and for that you commit lesser evil upon lesser evil. Or am I wrong?"

"No you're correct. And what's so funny about that?"

More laughter ensued. "Magus Killer…" Kirei said mockingly. "…if only you understood the contradiction of committing lesser evil for the sake of the greater good."

"I understand it quite well." Kiritsugu ground out. "And with the Holy Grail, I will bring lasting peace with no need for further sacrifice!"

"Perhaps you will…" Kirei said. "…perhaps you won't…after all, you could just as easily bring back your dead wife instead with its power."

Visions of Irisviel flashed through Kiritsugu's mind, and he ground his teeth. "She was content to sacrifice herself for my dream…" he ground out. "…I would never dishonor her sacrifice by abandoning it."

"Oh…?" Kirei said. "Your wife is quite admirable then. But now I must ask you a question Kiritsugu Emiya. You know as well as I do that while the Grail is capable of performing near-magic, there are still some things it is incapable of. What if by chance, the Grail told you that your wish is impossible?"

"What…?"

"Come now, Kiritsugu…" Kirei continued. "…stop being so childish. Humanity will never be free of war and violence. It's in our blood. History proves that no matter how noble and beautiful dreams and ideals are, in the end they are precisely that: dreams and ideals. In an ideal world, they would bring about peace and unity, but in reality the differing dreams and ideals of men have only brought about disagreement, strife, violence and death."

"That's not true!" Kiritsugu shouted. "I…I have faith in Humanity! We aren't like that at all! If we so choose it…!"

"And that is precisely the problem." Kirei told him. "We Humans are intrinsically flawed and selfish beings. There are none who would sacrifice themselves and what is theirs for others to the extent that your dream would require. It is utopian. It cannot be."

"Shut up!" Kiritsugu shouted. "I won't give up, especially not to a twisted, false priest like you! Now answer me! What are you fighting for?"

"I fight for an answer." Kirei replied. "I desire the meaning behind my existence in this world. I admit it is a rather academic and philosophical question, but for me it holds profound meaning."

"Selfish bastard…" Kiritsugu hissed, and Kirei laughed again.

"How amusing…" Kirei replied. "…even now you remain hypocritical in your apparent self-sacrifice."

"...hypocritical…?" Kiristugu hissed, and then he whirled as Kirei landed in a crouch well behind him, but cutting off his retreat.

"Yes hypocritical…" Kirei said while rising to his feet, tense but with empty hands held to the sides. Kiritsugu tensed as well but made no move to attack. "…after all, your desire to bring about world peace would mean forcing each and every Human being to surrender their individual desires for your idyllic, perhaps even communist and collectivist world."

"Lasting peace is worth such a sacrifice…" Kiritsugu ground out, but there was uncertainty in his eyes. "_…no…that can't be right…Illya…she should be able live her own life…she could be a ballet dancer…a soccer player…even a mother herself…I…I…I can't sacrifice that…but…no…if the Grail is truly what it is, then lasting peace can be brought about without such a sacrifice!_"

"So you begin to understand." Kirei said with satisfaction, summoning his Black Keys and crossing his arms. "Rejoice Kiritsugu Emiya! Your enlightenment is at hand! I will enjoy the expression on your face once you realize the hollowness of your ideals."

"**SHUT UP!**" Kiritsugu roared as he brought up and fired his Thompson Contender. The Origin Bullet streaked out, lancing towards Kirei as the priest charged…and shattered his Black Keys to no effect. Kiritsugu's eyes widened…and then Kirei was on him, pummeling him with every blow shattering bone and crushing organs.

Kiritsugu spat out blood as Kirei launched a breaking kick that sent him flying across the room to slam with bone-breaking force against the nearby wall. Kirei approached slowly, as the Magus Killer's apparent corpse slid down from the crater…and then he was bringing up his Black Keys as an inexplicably-recovering Kiritsugu brought up his Calico and opened fire on full auto.

Arms and hands blurring, Kirei blocked all of the shots before charging forward as the Calico ran dry. "Time Alter: Double Accel!" Kiritsugu cast, and he dodged fluidly around Kirei's blows while reloading his Calico. Jumping away with Kirei in pursuit, he aimed the Calico and opened fire again…to no effect as the priest blocked all the shots with his Black Keys. Once the clip ran dry, Kirei threw the Black Keys in his hand before summoning a fresh set.

"Time Alter: Triple Accel!" Kiritsugu cast again, and avoiding the conceptual weapons reloaded his Thompson and aimed it at Kirei. The gun barked, and the .30-30 round struck the priest's left arm and blew it apart close to the elbow. Despite the damage the priest still closed to press the assault and forcing Kiritsugu to draw his own combat knife.

Parrying and dodging, the Magus Killer danced away and reloaded his Thompson while barely avoiding another set of Black Keys thrown at him. "_An Origin Bullet won't work._" Kiritsugu thought as he caught his breath and measured his opponent up. "_He's not a magus, so his offense isn't dependent on his magic circuits. Fortunately .30-30 rounds have large stopping power behind them. The only problem is that despite having lost one arm, he still outclasses me in close combat._"

Kirei summoned another set of Black Keys and tensed, all the while ignoring the pain of his destroyed left arm. "_I was sure I crushed his internal organs._" The priest thought to himself. "_High-speed regeneration…? How…? He's not a vampire, so he shouldn't have a regenerative curse…could he? It doesn't matter at any rate…I outclass him in close quarters regardless of my left arm. I'll finish this one blow!_"

Kiritsugu tensed at well, the Thompson in his right hand and his combat knife in the other. The two enemies locked eyes for several moments…and then they charged at each other. As they closed, Kirei lowered his arm slightly, intending to tear Kiritsugu's chest open, while Kiritsugu began to raise his knife to block and aim the Contender for a point-blank round to the chest.

And then the walls and ceiling exploded in a wave of debris and black mud, and the two men barely had time to look surprised before being swallowed whole.

* * *

><p>Sabre and Medea's eyes widened as they felt something erupt from the Fuyuki Civic Centre, and within moments the two women were rushing back at the sheer wrongness of the sensation. Medea led the way, flying with her cloak billowing behind her, and Sabre followed leaping over the deserted and burning streets and ruins of their battlefield.<p>

They were left speechless by what they found. "What is that?" Sabre asked in disbelief and horror at the sight of the tower of black and corrupt matter, shimmering with prana, rising to the sky to end with a clawed crown above which an orb floated and dripped…something.

"I don't know." Medea answered, and Sabre glanced at her. A retort quickly died before it could be said, considering the confused and somewhat fearful expression on the sorceress' face. "But whatever it is, it's not something that should exist."

Sabre turned back to the tower, backlit by the fires of the surrounding battlefield. "That used to be the Fuyuki Civic Centre…" she muttered. "…could it be?"

"That's the Holy Grail." Medea finished before shaking her head. "But how can it be? That…thing is not something that could possibly…mother goddesses preserve us…"

"This is not the time to panic Medea!" Sabre shouted while tightening her grip on Excalibur. "I need answers!"

"I don't have any answers for you." Medea responded wearily. "All I can say is that something has gone terribly wrong for that to be the Grail."

"I…" Sabre stammered out. "…I…if that's the Grail, can we even use it?"

"Don't be foolish." Medea retorted. "It's quite obvious that…thing cannot be used. It is an abomination. And even if it could be used, it is quite clear that it would not be wise."

"Then…" Sabre whispered while taking a step back. "…then what have we been fighting for all this time? Has all that been for nothing? All that death and destruction…!"

Medea narrowed her eyes…and then they widened along with Sabre's as Excalibur began to glow brighter and prana began to flow.

* * *

><p>Close to the tower's base Kiritsugu pulled himself clear from a pile of rubble, and getting to his feet, clutched at his head. Irisviel possessed by the Grail…the true price of his ideals…the utter meaningless of every last one of his actions…Angra Mainyu…Illya and Iri dead by his own hands…the man turned as he heard footsteps behind him.<p>

"You rejected the Grail." Kirei observed. "I'm disappointed…but at the same time pleased. You understand now, don't you? An ideal…cannot exist."

"Yes, I understand." Kiritsugu answered, and Kirei smiled with glee…and then he has collapsing backwards as Kiritsugu shot him in the heart with his Thompson at close range. "But I don't need you to tell me that."

Leaving the priest's corpse behind him, Kiritsugu stumbled his way across the ruins of the Fuyuki Civic Centre. This…thing…Angra Mainyu…the instant someone made a wish it would be unleashed upon the world…an existence of utter evil…he had survived its touch, but only because of Avalon within. Even then he could feel its curse burning in his magic circuits. Pausing and leaning against a twisted piece of metal, he looked up at the tower.

Once it was released…no, a Counter-Guardian would be summoned, or maybe more. Angra Mainyu was a threat not just to Humanity, but also to the world itself. Gaea might forcibly awaken the True Ancestors…between Counter-Guardians and True Ancestors, the damage would be critical. Kiritsugu raised his hand and regarded his two remaining command spells.

"Forgive me…" he whispered as they flared brightly and began to vanish. It had to be done. If Counter-Guardians and True Ancestors fought Angra Mainyu then at best Japan would be wiped from the face of the planet. At worst…Kiritsugu shuddered at the thought, remembering the tales whispered of the battle between the Wizard Marshall and the King of the Moon. "…by the power of the command spells…"

* * *

><p>With an expression of shock on her face, Sabre watched as her prana reserves drained and Excalibur began to charge its power. Medea rushed to her in alarm and physically tried to hold her back to no avail. "You fool!" she shouted. "I know it has to be destroyed, but if that thing is the Grail then all that prana…stop!"<p>

"I can't!" Sabre said in panic. "Kiritsugu…he used two command spells!"

"NO!" Medea cried out as she and Sabre vainly tried to stop the Grail's destruction, the blonde's arms raising the sword against her will and swinging it down. There was a brilliant flash of light as Excalibur ruptured the vessel…and then a massive explosion ripped out across the city, the shock wave collapsing buildings an instant before the stored energy manifested as heat, unleashing a massive firestorm.

Just outside ground zero, Sabre glanced at Medea as her prana reserves drained and she ceased to be moments before the firestorm engulfed their area. Medea, with her prana reserves still unexhausted, quickly erected her barrier and reinforced it with her trans-elemental mystic codes in shield form. They blocked the flames, and Medea smiled with relief – they probably wouldn't kill her but it would hurt – only for something black and repulsive to eat its way through her barrier and shields in mere moments…and swallowed her whole.

* * *

><p>AN

I would like to extend my thanks to my fellow Imperials from the Star Wars community; it seems that the defense of our consumerist and individualist society against the communist and collectivist rhetoric of the so-called United Federation of Planets has proven useful in providing dialogue between Kirei and Kiritsugu.

No seriously; the biggest problem with Kiritsugu and Shiro's dream is that it simply is impossible given the inherently-selfish nature of the Human race. We are individuals, and we think as individuals. Even with society, we are driven to obtain more and to surpass our fellows. A united world with lasting peace based on a shared desire for the common good is nice and all…but in the end it's simply utopian. Individual Human ambitions and desires will lead to its destruction. The best we can do is to temper that flaw, and turn it to our advantage…but never to get rid of it.

Finally as a response to those who accuse the Sakura in this fic as simply a not-insane/not-possessed/not-victim version of Dark Sakura…hey, this is the Nasu-verse. To succeed you have to be evil or at least neutral. The most powerful magi – Lorelei Barthomeloi and Zelretch – are Lawful Neutral and Chaotic Neutral, while the most powerful beings – Altrouge Brunestud and Primate Murder – are both Neutral Evil while the TYPEs and Gilgamesh are both Above Good and Evil. Long story short, the Nasu-verse is a Crapsack World, so get used to it. I didn't write this fic so Sakura could be a goody-goody two shoes that supports Rin and Shiro, or so she could get raped and abused all over again, but for her to become a powerful magus that can succeed in the grim and dark world of Kinoko Nasu.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Chapter 20

_It was hell. Everything was tinted red and black, and filled with writhing, screaming, and deformed figures. There was no hope. There was no reason to exist. Everything was meaningless. The darkness would spill out and destroy the world, leaving nothing behind but blasted ground and tainted air behind it._

_**Rape…Murder…Torture…Genocide…Fratricide…Matricide…Arson…Suicide…Torture...**_

_Nothing alive would be left behind. Bleached bones would lie for all eternity in the dying light of the Sun. The universe wouldn't care. It would move on. What was the fate of an insignificant planet or its average star? It was worth nothing compared to the vastness of the universe._

_**Castration…Sadism…Addiction…Nepotism…Fraud…Betrayal…Cannibalism…Theft…**_

_Nothing cared. The universe didn't care. The world didn't care. Why should one care? Why should one care about others? Why should one care about continuing to exist?_

_**The starting number is five.**_

_If nothing of worth truly existed, then why bother continuing to live? Why bother struggling against the inevitable? Death and destruction…could they be a blessing in disguise? Did it matter? Perhaps it did…perhaps it was the only thing that mattered. If so, then just let it go._

_**Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…**_

_Let everything go. Oblivion brought silence. It brought salvation. It brought lasting peace…freedom from care…freedom from want…freedom from the torments of harsh existence. Embrace it…there was nothing worth living for._

_**Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…**_

_Just die. Let yourself die. You aren't needed anymore. The world will die soon. Everything and everyone you care for will cease to exist. It will just be a brief moment of pain…and then nothing. Peace._

_**Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…**_

_**Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…**_

_**Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…Death…**_

"_Is this supposed to drive me insane?" a woman's voice asked with a bored tone._

_Silence ensued. This could not be. This should not be. Something existed where something could not exist. It was impossible. But it was. It wasn't impossible. But it should be. But it still __**was**__. It was…improbable. Something had changed where nothing should change. This was…unexpected. It was so unexpected that all the evil in world, all of Humanity's sins and their condemnations, was drowned out. "What are you?" the darkness asked._

"_A stupid question…" the woman replied with mixed amusement and disdain. "…I'm a Heroic Spirit, or if you're referring to the concept or title which embodies my identity, then I am the Witch of Betrayal."_

"_How…?"_

"_I may have an answer to that…" Medea replied. "…but it's rather unclear right now. Unless you can give me an answer…?"_

"_Ask…"_

"_What are you?"_

"…_Angra Mainyu."_

"_The Persian god of darkness…?" Medea echoed in surprise. "That cannot be. Actual deities may not manifest within the limits of the Grail system without being heavily-restricted, to the point that exercise of their Authority would result in self-ruin."_

"_It is how Humanity remembers me." Angra Mainyu replied. "Whether or not I am the true Angra Mainyu of Persian belief is immaterial, for as far as the world and the Throne are concerned, I am All the World's Evil."_

"_Interesting…" Medea said thoughtfully. "…but I suppose my study into how you managed to manifest despite the safeties built into the Grail will have to wait. If that is truly your core concept, then it would be safe to assume that I am currently 'immersed' in all of the world's evil. It's not a very reassuring thought, though it would confirm my hypothesis."_

"_Explain."_

"_There's no need to be so impatient." Medea admonished him, and the distorted and writhing figures around them vanished, leaving the Heroic Spirit 'standing' in utter darkness. "Oh fine…" she said with a roll of her eyes. "…I'll get to the point if it makes you happy. The reason as to why you cannot drive me insane or consume me is simple: as some self-righteous fools would say it, my soul is already tainted black. One cannot taint something that has already been tainted."_

"_You have no regrets?" Angra Mainyu asked her, and Medea raised an eyebrow as their surrounding shifted again. Now she stood on a stone cliff under the light of the Sun and the Moon, the two celestial bodies impossibly together in the sky. A good distance before her was a vaguely-humanoid figure of the blackest shade._

"_None…" Medea answered. "…I will mourn for the children I slew in necessity. I will mourn my father and brother, who I slew in my god-induced delusion. But I will never regret. To do so would hold me back."_

"_I see." Angra Mainyu replied. "If I cannot consume you or corrupt you, then I must cast you out. What will you then?"_

"_I will carry on with my new life." Medea said with a smirk. "From the look of things I am the victor of this contest am I not? Therefore I would seek reincarnation in the world."_

"_There's no need to waste a wish on that, even if the Grail were still intact to grant it." Angra Mainyu admonished in its turn. "For a Heroic Spirit to come into contact with the Holy Grail's essence is enough to bring about reincarnation. However an external source of prana will be needed for Noble Phantasms to function, or in your case, for you to use magic."_

"_Potentially troublesome…" Medea conceded. "…but a worthy challenge for my skills. And it seems that for some reason you are trapped within the core of the Grail are you not? I see…you were summoned in a previous war but somehow got trapped in the Grail as opposed to returning to the Throne as should normally have happened."_

"_What use will you make of this information?"_

"_Nothing…" Medea replied with a shrug, and despite its lack of a face Angra Mainyu was clearly surprised – again – by the answer. "…I already what I want, and I've no intention of risking it by getting involved in Grail shenanigans. Assuming I'm still around by the time the next Holy Grail War comes around I'm going to tour the world to avoid getting dragged into it. So far it boils down to: I won't stand against you, but I won't help you either."_

"_That is an acceptable compromise." Angra Mainyu agreed. "There is no need for you to remain in my presence, and as you said there doesn't appear to be anything in it for you to oppose me. But what of your daughter…?"_

"_Sakura is a free person." Medea said. "I cannot speak for her. But she probably won't try to stop you from getting free. But considering who you are…she will be inclined to oppose your long-term goals, and I would be obliged to help her. She is my daughter after all, and I fully approve of her ambitions."_

"_We are not so different, the three of us." Angra Mainyu countered. "Shall we not join hands and bless Humanity and the world together?"_

"_I will have to refuse, and no doubt so would Sakura." Medea said with a smile as their surrounding began to crumble. "We are alike yes, but we are also very different. Your blessing would see Humanity destroyed, and the world thrown into ruin. Me and my daughter…? We simply wish to be."_

"_Selfish."_

"_True."_

"_Your daughter has ambitions. You are both selfish. I command both concepts." Angra Mainyu claimed, and Medea shook her head in denial._

"_No…" she disagreed. "…you merely draw strength from them and their consequences, but you do not have Authority over them directly. There is a difference."_

"_Indeed…" Angra Mainyu said. "…now disappear."_

Medea awoke and gasped as she unsteadily rose on all fours, the black mud that was Angra Mainyu's physical form sliding off of her naked form and sinking into the ground. Lacking the power to corrupt and devour her essence, it had cast her out of itself even as what was left of the Grail's mysteries reincarnated her within the world. Rain began to fall, speeding up the rate the mud was leaving her and sinking into the ground.

Medea sat back against a nearby pile of rubble and took a deep breath. Looking around the steaming ruins, she held out a hand and began to gather ambient prana from her surroundings. With the Grail's destruction, much of the prana it had stored had been blasted out across the city, and the sorceress smiled.

_It would not take long to refill her reserves to at least respectable amounts._

A few minutes later and a weary Medea rose to her feet and summoning her clothes and staff began to limp her way out of the ruins. She may have avoided being devoured by Angra Mainyu, or avoided losing her dignity by being discovered stark naked within the ruins, but she was still very tired. She didn't know why that was the case, but she made up her mind that once she made it back to the Matou Estate she was going to have a nice long rest before doing anything strenuous.

_She'd earned that much at least as a consolation prize considering how the Grail failed in such a spectacular fashion._

Medea chuckled as she hobbled along. The Grail had failed, but she had been reborn in the world. She had a child to keep her company, and to pass her secrets on to. The child was a girl, which was a welcome bonus at any rate. All in all, things were actually much better than she had initially expected when she'd first been summoned into the contest. A nearby commotion caught her attention, and after gathering some more prana she followed her instincts and decided to investigate the matter.

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu Emiya staggered his way to where he had seen the injured boy collapse in the rain. Sinking to his knees, he ran a check over his body and smiling with relief discovered that the boy still lived…for now. For him to survive this ordeal, more would be needed. More that Kiritsugu could not provide…save for one.<p>

_Angra Mainyu curses you._

Kiritsugu remembered the words spoken by the evil within the Grail, and made his decision regardless. Given time Avalon might be able to break the curse, but by that time the boy would already be dead. Dead as a result of the firestorm that he – Kiritsugu – had unleashed on the city. Even if he'd done it to save more lives, it was still something that he could no longer accept to continue doing.

_That much good came out of speaking with the evil within._

The Magus Killer sighed, and removed the scabbard from his body with a faint burst of light and a brief burst of pain. Ignoring the increased presence of Angra Mainyu's curse, he implanted Avalon within the boy's body, and smiled as the injured redhead briefly opened his eyes to regard him blankly.

_He was alive. He was alive! Even if it was only one person, at the very least he had finally done it! He'd saved a life, instead of taking it. He was content with that much._

Footsteps behind him caused Kiritsugu to look warily over a shoulder, and his eyes widened at the sight of Kirei Kotomine alive and well. "H-how…?" he gasped out.

The priest smiled unpleasantly. "It seems that the Grail has granted me new life." He answered. "I'm happy for you Kiritsugu. It seems that you've managed to save one life at least. A pleasant change from killing people…well done."

"Spare me the sarcasm." Kiritsugu spat, and Kirei laughed loudly.

"I assure you I am quite sincere." Kirei said afterwards. "I am many things Kiritsugu, but I am not a liar. I truly am happy for you that you've managed to accomplish your dream of being a 'hero' – no matter how empty it is – in one small way at least."

"I never wanted to be a hero…" Kiritsugu whispered brokenly while holding the unconscious boy close. "…not like this…"

Kirei was about to say something, but the two men broke off as they heard someone approach. The two watched – Kiritsugu with apprehension and Kirei with curiosity – as the shadow approached, the sound of soft shoes crunching on broken stone mixed with the sound of metal softly striking rock. After a few moments, the shadow was revealed to be a rain-soaked and exhausted-looking Medea, walking towards them with the help of her staff.

"Kirei…" she said in recognition. "…Emiya…you've both survived."

"That remains to be seen." Kirei said suggestively, and Medea glanced at Kiritsugu.

"The boy…?" she asked, and Kiritsugu tightened his hold.

"He will live."

Medea stayed silent, and then she smiled. "Very well…" she said and then she gestured to Kirei who relaxed with a brief expression of disappointment on his face. "…as a gesture of respect to another who survived an encounter with the god of darkness, I shall spare your life."

"Wait…!" Kiritsugu shouted at them as they began to walk away. "H-how…?"

Medea glanced at him over a shoulder with an unreadable expression. "Something that has already been tainted black cannot be tainted further." She answered laconically, and then she and Kirei continued on their way.

"Is it wise letting him live?" Kirei asked. "He knows much."

"He's no threat to me, among other things." Medea answered with a mix of enigma and dismissal, and causing Kirei to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"What will you do now?" the priest asked after several moments.

"I'm going home." She answered. "I don't know why, but I am dead tired. It might be my lack of familiarity with a Human body after so long, or something else. I'll look into it eventually, but when I get back to Matou, I am going to get a hot shower, then something hot to eat, and finally a soft bed to sleep in for several hours."

"It's almost morning." The priest observed, and Medea snorted.

"See if I care." She retorted, and Kirei laughed. "By the way, Tokiomi is still alive. He knows of your connection to me. Your father and the Holy Church could prove troublesome."

"A fair point…" Kirei said, his voice trailing off as he considered the matter. The best way to fix this loose end was to simply kill his father, but that was…

"Whatever you do, don't kill Tokiomi." Medea said. "My daughter's decree as a member of the Royal House of Colchis is for him to live the rest of his life haunted by the consequences of his failure as a father. As our ally, I expect you to uphold that decree."

Kirei grinned. "Rest assured I have no intention of killing him." He told her. "I'm sure that with his magic gone, his mind spell over his family will have broken as well. He'll be a pariah to his in-laws – assuming they figure it out – and Rin…"

Medea stopped walking, only to resume after a minute. "It's for the best." She finally said. "If Rin closes her heart over her mother's death to Sakura, then it will push Sakura into finally facing the future. Revenge is nice and all, but not when it restricts one's options for tomorrow. If on the other hand Rin is alienated by her father – a minor prospect – then she might prove a valuable ally."

"I see…" Kirei conceded. "…in that case please leave my father to me."

* * *

><p>"Ms Sola…" Waver complained as he tried to keep up with the imperious woman who was figuratively dragging him along down from the church to the waiting taxi, all the while lugging their combined luggage together. "…do we have to go now?"<p>

"Use your head boy." Sola snapped. "Considering the fiasco last night, we've got to get out of here before either the Enforcers or the Executors arrive."

"But we'll still have to deal with the Enforcers when we get back to London."

"True…" Sola conceded as she oversaw the loading of the luggage. "…but then we'd only have to deal with the Association and not the Church, and it'll cut through a lot of the red tape if we deal with the Lords directly."

"I-I see…" Waver stammered out, and the elder magus smirked at his discomfort.

"Afraid of confronting the Archibald…?"

"You have no idea." He answered, and she cackled with glee as they entered the taxi.

"Just stick with me and you'll be fine." She told him. "Kayneth may have been blind to your potential, but I'm not nearly as blinkered as he is. You'll make a fine apprentice."

"Huh?"

Sola rolled her eyes. "Use your head boy." She said again, and Waver fumed. "Once you become my apprentice, you'll come under my family's protection. As for me, well since I have my hands full educating an apprentice, I won't have to worry about another arranged marriage or what not. It's a fine arrangement, wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose so…" Waver began, and his new master or mistress – that last one sounded so wrong – beamed before pulling a sheaf of paper from a pocket and tossing it at him.

"Good…" she replied before stretching her arms. "…then for starters compile, analyze, and synthesize those notes. I got those by assisting Caster with analyzing Kayneth's mysteries and combining them with her mysteries." She paused and then smiled. "When I'm through with you, you'll either be a department head or a color designate. Do your best, Apprentice Velvet."

* * *

><p>Hours later Risei Kotomine entered the kitchen in Kotomine Church and began to prepare some tea for himself. The situation was tiringly-complicated, and not only because of the Grail's explosive failure. Tokiomi was in a coma and under observation in the hospital, Kirei was still missing, and he predicted that with the failure of Tokiomi's magic, once he awoke there would be a custody war over his daughter Rin.<p>

_That fool should never have tried to alter their memories._

Risei sighed as he took the kettle off of the stove and poured hot water into his teacup. Placing the kettle back on the stove, he put a teabag in the cup and let it steep while thinking over the matter. Half a city reduced to ashes…an impending custody war in the near future (and one he would be obliged to intervene in Tokiomi's favor)…and Enforcers and Executors swooping in for answers.

_Ms Sola and Mr Velvet have fled or eloped…lucky bastards…_

The elderly priest took a drink of his tea…and his eyes widened at the strange taste. He glanced down at the teacup in surprise, and then he dropped it on the table as a sudden wave of nausea ripped through his body. "What the…?" he began, and then he collapsed to the floor as he attempted to stand, a tingling numbness spreading through his limbs even as burning pain filled his abdomen. "Poison…?"

"Aconite..." Kirei explained in his deep voice as he emerged from his hiding place. "…I purchased it earlier this morning in Chinatown. I personally don't like the Chinamen, but their merchants can be surprisingly helpful so long as you have what it takes to grease their palms."

Risei struggled to stand, and failed. "Why…?" he gasped.

"Forgive me father…" Kirei said with mixed sincerity and revulsion. "…but I could not allow you to live. To do so would compromise my professional relationship with the Servant of the Spell – who by right of survival is the reigning champion of the Holy Grail War – and give Tohsaka an advantage through your connections with the Church."

"Kirei…!"

"There will be other Grail Wars." Kirei continued. "I will have the answers I seek. I doubt Sakura Matou and her family will participate in another contest, but Tohsaka will. If so, then they must do so on a relatively fair basis, unlike during this and previous wars."

"**KIREI…!**" Risei screamed, and then he began to spasm, foam pouring from his mouth amidst his death rattle. Kirei knelt down beside his dying father, and prayed for his soul. Despite his doubts over the nature of the Church's faith, Kirei had to admit that prayer was surprisingly comforting.

As Risei's death rattle came to an end, Kirei reached out with a hand and closed his father's eyes. Standing after finishing his prayers, Kirei knew that it would only be a matter of time before the police launched an investigation. The priest smiled.

_That was nothing a little magic couldn't fix._

* * *

><p>Kiritsugu lifted his head from where he was sitting in the hospital corridor, and his eyes widened at the sight of his faithful assistant looking at him. "What now?" Maiya Hisau asked.<p>

"It's over." Kiritsugu said. "There's no point for the Magus Killer to continue to exist. Nor do I have the means to continue existing as the Magus Killer."

"So you're going to settle down?" Maiya asked, and Kiritsugu nodded.

"Maiya…" he began. "…I understand if you wish to continue living as you have. I won't force you to stay so…"

"Don't be stupid." Maiya interrupted him. "You intend to raise that boy you rescued from the fire-zone, aren't you?"

Kiritsugu blinked, and Maiya handed him a sheaf of paper. "The doctor asked me to give these to you, and considering your concerns for the boy – Shiro I think that was the name you gave him – I took the liberty of getting the adoption papers ready. All that is needed is your signature."

"You used magic didn't you?" Kiritsugu asked.

"Yes." She replied, and Kiritsugu sighed.

"May I ask why you consider it stupid that I assumed you're leaving me behind to continue living as you have so far?" he asked.

"I owe you." she replied, and Kiritsugu sighed. That was so like her. "And it would not do for a child to grow up without a female role model in his life."

_Wait, what?_

Kiritsugu stared blankly at her for a few moments, and she stared back. Finally he broke the gaze and chuckled. "You're going to learn how to smile first before you can become a role model for Shiro." He quipped as he signed the adoption papers.

"I am smiling."

"Right…" he said in disbelief before getting up and heading for the nurses' station. Once the rest of the paperwork was filled out, a nurse took them to where Shiro was waiting, the bandaged boy sitting on a chair and looking out over the city in the afternoon. The boy turned to look at him and Maiya as they entered the waiting room, and his face lit up at the sight of Kiritsugu.

"Old man…!" he said happily, and Maiya barely suppressed a snort at the usually-insulting words.

"…hey there Shiro…" Kiritsugu said in greeting as he came closer and knelt down to his level. "…oh that's right I haven't introduced myself have I? My name's Kiritsugu Emiya, and this is my…partner Maiya Hisau. Now I've talked to the doctors and well…we've decided to adopt you, but only if you agree to it. So, would you like to live with a pair of strangers like us?"

Shiro blinked and briefly thought it over. It wasn't a bad idea to him, as he couldn't even remember who he…was…his parents…flames…shaking his head clear of the disturbing memories, he smiled at Kiritsugu and nodded. "Okay…" he said. "…should I call you dad from now on?"

Kiritsugu smiled back and ruffled his hair. "If it makes you happy…" he said as he rose and taking Shiro's hand began to leave. Noticing the lack of people around – given the nature of things the medical staff probably had their hands full – he made a decision then and there. "…by the way Shiro, do you believe in magic?"

* * *

><p>AN

Cherry Kariya: if you think that way then fine. I won't dignify your review with a lengthy response.

DarkJackel: actually considering that she has a goal beyond simply ensuring her personal success, AU Sakura might shift her alignment from Neutral Evil to Lawful Evil in the future. And Gilgamesh is data-wise Chaotic Good, but story-wise he's Above Good and Evil as that was how he survived Angra Mainyu's corruption.

As for this chapter…Medea avoids corruption simply because since her alignment (Neutral Evil) is so similar to Angra Mainyu (Chaotic Evil), they repel each other. I don't really have much else to say, although I'd like your opinion on this: should I keep Sola-Ui strictly fixated on Lancer, or should I make it a love triangle with her conflicting over Lancer and Waver?


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, names, and any copyrighted material used in this work. This is a fanfic, period. Everything belongs to their respective owners. Comments and constructive criticism are all very much appreciated.

Legacy of the Ancients

Epilogue

_Lightning flashed and crackled, and screams filled the air along with the sharp stench of ozone. It flew from the fingers of a six year-old girl with his eyes, but with an unfamiliar face. No, it wasn't unfamiliar. He'd seen it before…but where?_

_Ah…now he remembered. The Caster-class Servant of the Fourth Holy Grail War: Princess Medea of Colchis. The Witch of Betrayal, the archetype of a scorned woman, just like that girl…just like…Sakura._

_Sakura…why? We loved you…we only wanted what was best for you…we made a mistake…is it worth revenge? Is it worth crushing your heart and becoming just like that monster you call mother?_

_The torment ended. Aoi Tohsaka lay dead in the ruins of his workshop. The witch and her Master-turned apprentice and daughter left along with Kirei. Kirei…you too…? Are the answers to your questions worth betraying everything you were thought to cherish?_

_That's so…magus-like…I see…_

_Tokiomi Tohsaka crawled to his wife's corpse…something was wrong…why was everything so quiet? He was alone…he shouldn't be alone…where was Aoi? Ah, that's right: Sakura killed her. He'd tortured her to death with lightning. She shouldn't be able to use that…but she did._

_He was proud. She'd surpassed her limitations and become stronger. She had an affinity for the Noble element. She didn't have as much potential as her sister…she had __**greater**__. After all, she had apparently inherited Medea's gift of the Divine Words. She didn't need arias or circuits anymore, her voice and gestures had the Authority to bring miracles about so long as she comprehended the mysteries behind them. __**He was proud.**_

_And it sickened him. She was for all intents and purposes a true magus. It was everything he had hoped for. It was everything he had wanted her to achieve after he'd given her away. If so…why? Why did her achievements sicken him? She may have discarded her name, but so long as she and her children lived, the blood of the Tohsaka that flowed through their veins would know glory. So why did it sicken him?_

_Wasn't this what he wanted?_

_Slowly, he pulled Aoi's corpse into his arms, weeping without regard for elegance or dignity. What was the point of all that, when he'd lost everything he'd held dear? He didn't want this. Gods, he didn't want this._

_He wanted his family back. He would give everything, anything for it. But it was too late. He realized it too late. Magic…the Root…he'd sacrificed so much for them, but in the end it was all for nothing. His magic was gone. His circuits had been destroyed in his failed attempt to come to his wife's aid. He'd be a cripple for the rest of his life due to sympathetic damage to his nerves. But even that was nothing compared to the emptiness within brought about by his family's destruction._

_It was all for nothing. Aoi was dead. Sakura hated him. He had nothing to live for anymore._

_No, there was someone else. Rin…Rin…he had to live for her. Rin…!_

Tokiomi awoke in his bed at the hospital, and sat up reflexively only to wince as muscles atrophied by long disuse flared painfully. "Father…" he heard Rin say hesitantly, and he turned to see his only remaining family looking at him even as a nurse bowed her way out.

Tokiomi looked at her neutrally for a few moments before looking away. "I'm sorry…" he said sadly. "…I…I…I've failed you and your sister…your mother too."

"…father…" Rin said while coming closer. She took one of her father's arms, and Tokiomi looked back at her. Rin swallowed, and remembered Father Kotomine holding her back and stopping her from seeing her mother's body before it could be cremated. All her questions had been met with evasion, but Rin wasn't stupid.

_Her mother's body was too badly-damaged to be seen._

"…did…did Sakura…did she kill mother?" she finally asked. Tokiomi continued to look sadly at her before nodding. Rin ground her teeth and lowered her head, tears beginning to trickle from her eyes and down her cheeks. Wordlessly, Tokiomi pulled his daughter into his arms and allowed her to cry into his chest.

_It was his entire fault._

"Am I interrupting something?" a deep and familiar voice suddenly echoed in the room, and Tokiomi's eyes widened in fear and horror as he saw Kirei Kotomine appear in the doorway. "If so then please accept my apologies."

There was nothing sincere about it, and Tokiomi knew it. Worse yet, he could do nothing about it. Without his magic, attempting to confront Kirei would be suicide. And the priest knew it too. He'd changed a lot; his hair was longer, he smiled some more – a disgusting smile that made Tokiomi want to bash his face in since in hindsight he'd first seen that smile appear while Aoi was being tortured to death – and while his eyes remained empty there was no longer melancholy in them.

_He'd found himself._

"You've been asleep for several months now." Kirei continued while closing the door. "I've taken the liberty of arranging for a puppet master to increase your mobility to a degree. There was nothing we could for your circuits unfortunately, and you will be confined to a wheel chair, but your upper body should be mobile."

"I see." Tokiomi replied icily, and Kirei grinned with amusement at his former master's impotent fury.

"I've also arranged to transfer your crest to Rin." Kirei finally said, and Tokiomi sharply glanced at Rin as she sat down on his bed and tried to compose herself.

"Is this true?" he asked.

"Yes." Rin replied, and cycled prana through her crest. The circuits lit up a bright blue. It looked complete, but Tokiomi needed to be sure. He was about to ask about it when he caught Kirei's disapproving expression, as though he was offended in some way by Tokiomi's assumptions of sabotage.

_It's only natural I would think that way, you damn bastard!_

Kirei smiled some more as he divined Tokiomi's thoughts, and stood to leave. After making sure that Rin couldn't see what he was doing, the priest raised a finger to his lips and made a silencing gesture at Tokiomi. The fallen magus narrowed his eyes with impotent fury at the implied message.

_Keep it quiet, lest you know regret._

* * *

><p>A worried Kariya Matou stepped out of the train onto the Fuyuki Train Station, and after briefly gathering himself moved towards the exit. The message from Byakuya had been brief, but apparently Sakura had been found. But if that were the case…Kariya shook his head to clear it of disturbing thoughts. The idea of finding Sakura rotting in that pit…the man shuddered as he made his way through the crowds of people.<p>

"Uncle Kariya!" a familiar voice called to him, and to his surprise he found his nephew running towards him.

"Shinji!" he said in recognition as the boy ran up next to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad said to come home at once." Shinji said. "He said something important was waiting for me, and I'd be living back here at Fuyuki during and after the summer break."

Kariya's blood ran cold. He knew that the Matou training had…side-effects, but it was still too early. But why then would Shinji be summoned back, if not to 'take care' of those issues? "Come along then…" he said with a wavering voice, and Shinji looked at him strangely. Kariya tried to smile only to find that he couldn't, resulting in a very uncomfortable journey back home.

"I knew there was a fire long before the summer but…wow." Shinji said as he noted the heavy construction going on in the ruined section of the city. Kariya was silent, brooding over the unfairness of life considering his perceived knowledge of Sakura's fate, and the inhumanity of the magi. The destruction dealt to the city due to the recent contest for the Grail further reinforced the notion.

It wasn't until half an hour later when they reached the Matou Estate…and found themselves staring open-mouthed at all the work being done. "Did something happen?" Shinji asked as he stared at the expansion of the manor's wings, and all the men moving and working around.

"Your guess is as good as mine Shinji." The dumbfounded Kariya said, but with hope burning in his chest. "One thing's for sure: your grandfather is dead. There's no way he'd let something like this happen if he were still around."

Shinji brightened. "Then that must mean…!" he blurted out as they entered the grounds, though Kariya snorted inwardly.

_Of only you knew what the Matou Crest entails, I wonder if you'd be so eager to accept it._

The moment they crossed the threshold, they were left open-mouthed a second time. A large portion of the floor had been removed, and ladders, lifts, and scaffolding had been set up for the convenience of the men filling in the underground. "Oh good…" a blue-haired woman with faintly-unearthly beauty intercepted them before they could proceed, and directed them to a nearby room. "…you must be Kariya and Shinji. Excellent, we have much to discuss."

"Alright…" Kariya immediately began the moment they entered the room and the woman closed the door behind her, and set up a bounded field to prevent people from listening in. "…who are you, and where's my brother?"

"Who am I?" she echoed. "That depends: do you really want to know who I am, or who I legally am?"

"The former…" Kariya ground out, and she shrugged.

"I am Princess Medea of Colchis." She said, and after a moment both Kariya and Shinji burst out laughing.

"...oh that was good." Kariya said after a few moments. "Seriously pull the other one, it has bells on it. Who are you?"

"I am who I said I was."

Shinji snorted, but a hand on his shoulder stopped his retort before it could be said. "You're…you're Sakura's Servant." Kariya whispered, and Medea smiled.

"That's right." She said. "And with Zouken dead, I've taken control of Matou for myself." Before Kariya said anything she turned to Shinji who had paled at the realization that he'd just laughed at a person who was probably the most infamous witch in history. "So you're Shinji are you?"

"Yes." He said.

"You want to be a magus, don't you?"

"Of course I do." He snapped. "It's my birthright."

"But your magic circuits are dead. You cannot be a magus."

Anger flared through the boy's body. "It's her isn't she?" he shouted. "That Sakura person…! She's stolen my birthright! Well I won't let her! I'm the one with the Matou blood I should be…!"

With a wave of her hand, Medea silenced him. "You are brave." She conceded. "But pointless bravery will only get you killed. But you have spirit, and that is good. You will need that if you are truly to become a magus. Now calm down: as a lesson to you, never allow yourself to get controlled by your anger. Doing so blinds you and clouds your perceptions. Do you understand?"

Shinji nodded, all but stunned by the implications of Medea's words. He could still become a magus…somehow. "Here's my idea…" Medea said while removing the silencing spell. "…Sakura has no need for her magic circuits, so she initially offered to surrender them to you. Unfortunately, since the two of aren't related by blood they'd be incompatible. So instead I've decided to transfer Kariya and Byakuya's magic circuits."

"Is that even possible?" Kariya and Shinji asked at the same time, and Medea raised an eyebrow.

"And what do you think magic crests are?" she asked, and Kariya looked sheepish. However Shinji looked unhappy.

"I don't want anyone's pity." He said. "I don't want charity either."

Kariya looked at him and was about to say something only to be pre-empted by Medea who knelt down before him with a smile. "You have pride. That is good too." She said. "But as with anger, pride must be kept under control. A key principle of magecraft is equivalent exchange, is it not? If so, then the ability to use magic is a fair trade for your pride, wouldn't you agree?"

Shinji thought it over for a long moment, and nodded slowly. "Yes…" he said with a hint of respect. "…it's fair. But even then…"

"…Sakura will be a better magus? Of course she will. She can use Divine Words after all." Medea finished, and just as quickly placed a finger on Shinji's lips to keep him from bursting out on a new tirade. "But now answer this: who is superior, the one who was born with talent and used it to attain greatness, or the one who attained greatness through effort and determination?"

"The latter of…course…" Shinji began to snap out such an obvious answer, only to trail off as the implications sank in. Sakura might be able to use Divine Words, but if he could become a great magus despite his soon to be-borrowed magic circuits, then he'd be the superior between the two of them. Medea smiled and ruffled his hair much to his annoyance.

"You understood so quickly." She said while standing. "I am very impressed. And considering who I am I can assure you that it is not so easy to earn my approval."

"Wait a minute!" Kariya broke in. "I haven't consented to this yet! And…!"

"Your brother already has consented." Medea interrupted him. "Will you be…stingy?"

Kariya spluttered. "Of course not…oh fine…but first where's Sakura? And where's my brother?"

A startled squeak came from the door, and everyone present turned just in time to see a girl with long blue hair run from the door which she'd slid open slightly to listen in. "I guess that answers the question where Sakura is." Medea said dryly before turning to Shinji. "She saw a few of your pictures nephew, and for some reason she finds you…'cute'. I certainly hope you don't take advantage of that fact."

"What…no!" Shinji spluttered, although he turned red at the insinuation. He did however find the idea not so repulsive, as he gathered this Sakura person was related to Medea. Considering how pretty Medea was, it wasn't such a bad idea.

"Good…" Medea said with a smile.

"Wait…" Kariya began again. "…you called Shinji 'nephew'. And earlier you made a reference to 'legal identity'…could it be that…?"

"Yes…" Medea said with a shrug. "…I'm legally your sister. And Sakura is your niece now."

"She always has been…no, she's more than that…I think I need a drink." He muttered and began to stagger off to the kitchen. Shinji blinked and looked at his aunt who shrugged. The boy giggled. Perhaps this wasn't so bad after all.

"One more thing…" Kariya called before leaving through the other room's door. "…I heard that Aoi…did you…?"

Medea smiled coolly. "Why don't you ask Sakura?" she said, and then turned from the horrified man to the boy now holding onto her hand. "Now then why don't I introduce you to your cousin?"

"Okay!"

* * *

><p>"I think I've been tricked." Waver complained to Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, who was sitting behind her desk in a new office at the Clock Tower.<p>

"What makes you say that, Apprentice Velvet?" the new proxy for the El-Melloi lordship asked with a grin, and Waver exploded.

"I'm getting the short end of the stick here, while you get promoted and avoid entangling alliances!" he raged, and causing the older magus to laugh at his expense.

"You exaggerate." She said dismissively. "Let's see…after you complete your apprenticeship you get to be the new Lord El-Melloi and to top it all off you also get to marry a cute girl. Most magi of your age and standing would normally jump at such an opportunity."

"Have you forgotten how much paperwork being a lord entails?" Waver said incredulously, and the other magus' expression went out like a light.

"Don't remind me." Sola answered sourly and glancing at the stack of papers on one side of her desk. "There's still the girl though."

"I can't stand her!" Waver all but shouted and waving a fist in the air for emphasis. That didn't stop him from flushing slightly though, and causing Sola to raise an eyebrow.

"_So he does think of her in __**that**__ way._" She thought wryly while blocking out the boy's rants. "_Well that's a start I suppose._"

"Is that right?" a third voice entered the conversation, and Waver cringed before turning towards the door. Sola could only grin at the sight of an outraged Reines Archisorte standing in the doorway briefly before entering the room. "Well what a coincidence, I can't stand you either! The way you strut around as though you're one of us…you insolent upstart!"

"What did you call me, you arrogant spoiled brat?" Waver angrily snapped back.

"It takes one to know one doesn't it?" Reines returned, and Waver pointed at her with a triumphant expression.

"Aha! So you admit that you're a brat!"

"Did not…!"

"Did so…!"

"Did not…!"

"Did so…!"

Sola lost her smile and palmed her face at the playground antics of her ward and his…fiancée. Perhaps this wasn't a good idea after all, if it included babysitting duties. Sighing and blocking out the arguments from the two children – okay Waver was nineteen but that was completely irrelevant – she took and looked at the top paper on her pile.

She blanched. _Since when did maintenance fees fall under a lord's purview?_

* * *

><p>It'd been months since he'd come home to Fuyuki, and Shinji Matou still hadn't made his up about his cousin. She was nice, and pretty too, though he didn't dare speculate on how she'd grow up eventually. He was certain his new aunt could read minds, and since only a few circuits had been implanted so far – apparently not even a magus of the ancient era was confident enough to implant an entire set all at once – he didn't dare her wrath by thinking of his cousin in that way.<p>

She probably wouldn't have minded though, considering she had a slight crush on him, if a bit shy, although it too was from the same crush. Right now though, he had turned around to watch a confrontation between sisters.

_So she was a Tohsaka. Blood adoption…the bar just keeps getting higher…but I won't give up!_

"Was it worth it?" Rin asked, and Sakura closed her eyes briefly.

"Never let those who hurt you get away with it." She answered. "It sets a bad example."

"She was our mother!" Rin exploded, and Sakura looked away with closed eyes. "She…she raised us…she took care of us…and you killed her!"

"She threw me away." Sakura angrily replied. "She…she allowed me to almost get…eaten by those things. You expect me to just forgive her?"

Rin couldn't answer, instead slowly stepping back and shaking her head in denial. Shinji snorted at the arrogant hypocrisy of the Tohsaka, and he remembered seeing his mother's corpse in the underground being devoured by his grandfather's worms. "_That won't happen again._" He thought to himself. "_Aunt Medea is in charge now, and eventually Sakura and I will be in charge. We're better than that!_"

"No…" Rin began and despite tears dripping from her eyes refused to accept her sister's thinking. Not this time. Not after almost all her inheritance had been destroyed, her father crippled, and her mother dead. "…you…you're wrong! I…I…!"

Without another word the older girl turned and ran away, leaving Shinji and Sakura alone. Shinji stared briefly after the running and crying girl, and then turned to his cousin. "How can she understand?" Sakura was muttering. "She's always been loved. She was always the favorite. I was just a spare. She can't understand." Shinji closed his eyes and with a sigh made a decision.

_We're not too different. She was a spare child to be sold or used as necessary, while I was a useless child meant to help 'control' my replacement. But now…things are different._

Taking Sakura's hand, he pulled the surprised girl along behind him towards school. "Come on…" he said over a shoulder. "…we wouldn't want to be late for the first day."

Sakura blinked, and then blinked some more at Shinji's next words. "Don't let Tohsaka get to you." he said. "That family has always been too full of itself. And don't even think that you're a Tohsaka anymore. You're a Matou now, and with grandfather dead we can look out for each other instead of hurting each other."

Sakura just stared at her cousin's back for a long time, and then she smiled. "_Perhaps…_" she began to think as she saw her friend Yui waving at her across the next intersection. "_…I should just do what mom's been telling ever since the war. Let it go…Tohsaka is finished. My revenge is complete. I have everything and everyone I want. Let the past be the past…_"

With a smile, Sakura Tohsaka wiped away the only tears she would shed for the loss of her old family, and Sakura Matou looked up at the sky as she pulled her hand free and ran up to walk beside her cousin. "_...__Sakura Tohsaka is dead._" She thought to herself. "_She never existed. I am Princess Sakura of Colchis. I am Ginevra du Lac. And I am Sakura Matou._"

* * *

><p>AN

And that's that. I'll begin the sequel either sometime this week or next week.

Some of you have questioned Kirei being so merciful when it came to killing his father…call it the last of his compassion. Another thing being questioned is Sakura's murder of her mother. The goal there wasn't to kill Aoi you know; it was to hurt Tokiomi by making him lose his most precious person with no chance of stopping it despite being so close. His being crippled and losing his magic was just a bonus.


	22. Chapter 22

The sequel Legacy of the Ancients: Evolution is up.


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